A remarkable discovery has been made at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, where a fossilized dinosaur bone was found beneath its own parking lot. The discovery was made during a geothermal heating study that involved drilling more than 230 meters deep into the ground.
The museum, a favorite destination for dinosaur enthusiasts, never expected to find such a treasure so close to home. The fossil, resembling a hockey puck, was extracted from a bore only five centimeters wide, making the find exceptionally rare.
Unlikely Discovery in a Fossil-Rich Region
Geologist James Hagadorn, curator of geology at the museum, expressed his astonishment at the find.
“Finding a dinosaur bone in a core is like hitting a hole in one from the moon. It’s like winning the Willy Wonka factory. It’s incredible, it’s super rare,”
he said. According to museum officials, only two similar discoveries have been documented in bore hole samples worldwide.
The fossil is believed to be a vertebra from a small, plant-eating dinosaur that lived during the late Cretaceous period, around 67.5 million years ago. This period was shortly before the mass extinction event caused by an asteroid impact, which ended the reign of the dinosaurs approximately 66 million years ago.
Context and Historical Significance
The Denver area has been a hotspot for dinosaur discoveries over the years, with finds including parts of Tyrannosaurus rex and triceratops fossils. However, this latest discovery is both the deepest and oldest found in the region, according to Patrick O’Connor, curator of vertebrate paleontology at the museum.
In addition to the dinosaur bone, fossilized vegetation was also discovered in the bore hole, suggesting that the area was once a swampy, heavily vegetated environment.
“This animal was living in what was probably a swampy environment that would have been heavily vegetated at the time,”
O’Connor explained.
Expert Reactions and Implications
While some experts in the field have praised the find, reactions have been mixed. Thomas Williamson, curator of paleontology at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science, acknowledged the surprise of the discovery but noted,
“Scientifically it’s not that exciting.”
He also mentioned that it is impossible to determine the exact species of the dinosaur from the fossil.
Conversely, Erin LaCount, director of education programs at the Dinosaur Ridge track site, expressed enthusiasm in an email, stating the find is
“absolutely legit and VERY COOL!”
She speculated that the fossil might belong to a duck-billed dinosaur or a thescelosaurus, a smaller but similar species.
Future Prospects and Museum Display
The fossil is now on display at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, providing visitors with a unique glimpse into the prehistoric past. Despite the excitement surrounding the discovery, there are no plans to conduct further drilling under the parking lot.
“I would love to dig a 233-meter hole in the parking lot to excavate that dinosaur, the rest of it. But I don’t think that’s going to fly because we really need parking,”
Hagadorn humorously remarked.
This unexpected find underscores the potential for uncovering hidden treasures in even the most familiar places, adding a new chapter to the rich paleontological history of the Denver area.
