Jurassic Park-ing: US museum finds 67-million-year-old dinosaur fossil under asphalt
SMRTR summary
Beneath a Denver parking lot, an extraordinary discovery awaits. At 763 feet underground, scientists uncovered a 67.5-million-year-old dinosaur vertebra, the deepest and oldest ever found in the city.
The fossil, likely from a herbivorous dinosaur like Thescelosaurus or Edmontosaurus, emerged during a geothermal drilling project at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. This unexpected find offers a rare glimpse into the prehistoric ecosystem that once thrived beneath modern Denver.
"This is a scientifically and historically thrilling find for both the Museum and the larger Denver community," says James Hagadorn, the museum's geology curator. He likens the discovery to "winning the lottery and getting struck by lightning on the same day."
Now on display in the museum's "Discovering Teen Rex" exhibition, the fossil is sparking new conversations about hidden treasures beneath our cities. As one researcher put it, "That this fossil turned up here, in City Park, is nothing short of magical."
SMRTR provides this summary for quick context. The original article belongs to Interesting Engineering.
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