Finding Dinosaur Fossils - Where To Look
Dinosaurs have long been a source of fascination. They have inspired many stories and scientific explorations. Fossilized dinosaur bones have been discovered in different parts of the world for centuries. The first scientifically recorded specimen called Megalosaurus was unearthed near Oxford in 1824 by William Buckland.
Since then paleontologists and dinosaur experts have been coordinating digs worldwide. Many stunning skeletons now on display in national museum collections are the results of such scientific endeavors.
Where Are Most Dinosaur Fossils Found?
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In the US. more kinds of dinosaurs have been found than anywhere else in the world. Further North, Dinosaur Provincial Park in Alberta, Canada has yielded the highest numbers of species found, with 37 different kinds unearthed.
Everything from the Tyrannosaurus to the Brachiosaurus has been carefully removed, piece by piece, from the North American landscape and then painstakingly put back together.
Recent discoveries include the bizarre Therizinosaurid dinosaur in Utah (which has a combination of bird-like features and large claws) and a four-ton mummified Hardrosaur nicknamed Dakota. Dakota was unearthed in North Dakota and is an extremely well preserved, rare find that has paleontologists around the world excited.
Why Is North America So Conducive To Finding Dinosaur Bones?
For animals to become fossilized certain conditions must be present at the time of death. The body has to be in a place where it can be buried right away, so that decomposition and disintegration of the bones can't take place. Along with this entombment, certain minerals need to infiltrate the bones to make them resistant to crushing. This is a process called permineralization which is an extremely slow process that is integral to the formation of fossils and petrified remains. Usually floodplains, river systems or the complete opposite, dry, arid deserts allow for this to happen.
In the fluvial settings (places where flowing water is present), dinosaurs were immediately buried in the river channels or covered up by sediment from floodwaters. During this process, the scavengers and bacteria had no time to destroy the carcass. And the mineral rich water could permeate the bones, making them almost like stone. Entombed and preserved in this sediment, they become fossilized.
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These fluvial and desert environments were present across North America during the time of the dinosaurs and allowed the bones to be preserved. Waiting to be discovered by walking mammals, millions of years later.
Discovery
For dinosaur bones to be discovered, certain conditions must also be present in the current environment. Long buried fossils become exposed, when geologic uplifting (the process that forces land upwards) brings the old sedimentary layers close to the earth's surface. Erosion then exposes these sedimentary layers and consequently any fossilized creations. Through careful excavation and specialized tools, we can then finish the job nature started.
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This is why, geographically, North America has the perfect environment for digging up the past.
About the Author: When searching for information on dinosaurs be sure to check out the great articles and resources at Discovery Channel's re-vamped dinosaur blog.
And when you want a dinosaur fossil and can't get out to a dig, visit www.sparklingdiamonds.net's Fossil Section at Dinosaur Fossils!
News About Dinosaur Fossils
Fossilized skin used to tell species apart Vancouver Sun Hailed as a first in dinosaur science, a Canadian paleontol-ogist has used fossilized skin rather than bone to differentiate between two species of had-rosaurs - also known as duck-billed dinosaurs - from Alberta and Mongolia. The finding by University ... Researcher hails new approach to paleontology |
Dino-skin study leads to revelations Montreal Gazette Hailed as a "first ever" discovery in dinosaur science, a Canadian paleontologist has used fossilized skin rather than bone to differentiate between two species of hadrosaurs - also known as duck-billed dinosaurs - from Alberta and Mongolia. |
Cosmic destruction: The end of the dinosaurs Canton Daily Ledger They also noted dinosaur fossils were found under but not over this layer. But the acceptance of the impact theory led to another controversy--where was the impact site? Since most of the earth's surface is ocean, it was quite possible for the crater ... |
JCBs may push Dhar's dinosaur relics to extinction Times of India INDORE: Whatever might have wiped out the dinosaurs of Dhar, their priceless fossils are now under threat of going to dust under the JCBs and pickaxes, while the state government is doing scarcely anything about it. The latest threat is a huge cement ... |
Work begins to excavate dinosaur skeleton Fenland Today ... a 160 million year old dinosaur skeleton found locally embedded in a large piece of prehistoric rock. The Plesiosaur was found in Peterborough, an area dubbed East of England's hidden Jurassic area by Jamie Jordan, the discoverer of the fossil. |
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