Dinosaur footprints dating back 100 million years have recently been discovered in a rather unusual location. Owners of a restaurant in southwest China saw what they believed were footprints on the stone floor, and a team of researchers later confirmed those suspicions. Using 3D scanners, the team confirmed that the tracks were left by sauropods, plant-eating dinosaurs that grew to gigantic sizes.
Because of the enormous size of the footprints, researchers estimate the dinosaurs were around 8 meters long, USA Today reported. The tracks are now securely guarded behind fences in the restaurant courtyard.
As new and exciting finds emerge more frequently, the discovery of footprints contributes to what some paleontologists call a “fossil renaissance” in China, NPR said.
Paleontologist who worked on the sauropod footprint discovery, Dr. Lida Xing told Phys.org in an interview with Phys.org that it is a difficult region in terms of fossil history, as the country has undergone extensive development. As a result, Xing and his colleagues now make every effort to visit and examine new finds within 24 hours so that further research opportunities are not lost.
It’s also been a good year for Sauropod discoveries. A diplodocid named “Dolly” revealed interesting information about sauropod disease in February, as signs of wear and tear on its long neck suggest that the animal may have had a cold.
Also, Prehistoric Planet made the discovery of air sacs that are thought to have helped sauropods hold their long necks upright. But these air sacs are also thought to offer another opportunity for disease.
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