SMRTR Science & EngineeringMar 18, 2025Scientific American

Dinosaur Armor and Weaponry Was Even More Impressive Than Researchers Thought

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Recent fossil discoveries of Zuul and Borealopelta have transformed our understanding of armored dinosaurs. These specimens show their armor was a tough bone-keratin composite, significantly larger and tougher than previously believed. The armor could absorb energy equivalent to a high-speed car crash, suggesting its primary function was for intraspecific combat rather than predator defense, akin to modern animals with bone-keratin weaponry.

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