A Forgotten Treasure Trove of Fossils is Found After 8 Years

 

The paleontologist who rediscovered the fossils, over seven years to excavate, clean, and identify the 70-year-old fossils. The forgotten treasure trove of fossils included bones and teeth belonging to prehistoric mammals and marine reptiles that roamed the Earth 200 million years ago during the Triassic period.

 

1) Paleontologists discover a forgotten treasure trove

A treasure trove of fossils has been found in a museum basement that had sat untouched for 70 years. Paleontologists from The Natural History Museum made a remarkable discovery on Tuesday when they came across what may be one of the biggest troves ever found, containing 500 fossilized dinosaur eggs and skeletons belonging to Velociraptor and Protoceratops.

 

2) Incredible discovery finally unearthed

It's been years since researchers first started excavating a prehistoric fossil site in southwest Nebraska, but paleontologists have finally found their reward. Over 70 million years ago, what would eventually become western Nebraska was home to a massive lake, and its shoreline teemed with life.

 

3) The stories behind the fossils

These fossils were collected from an early hominid site in Tanzania. Scientists have worked tirelessly for years to piece together information about our ancestors and their species’ ancestry. Many of these bones have never been classified, studied, or even looked at by modern scientists, leaving much work to be done. This incredible discovery could potentially change how we understand our own history as a species.

 

4) What can we learn from this discovery?

Fossilized bones are usually a paleontologist’s dream. But sometimes, even with all of these ancient remains, there’s still more to be discovered. That was the case with a study published in PLOS ONE on January 15th that describes new finds from Darwinius, an ancient primate found in northern Egypt.

 

5) How significant are these fossils?

In 2012, a survey was conducted in a mine shaft in Idaho that had been closed since 1954. That original survey aimed to find valuable minerals like gold and silver. Instead, paleontologists found some of their greatest finds: several dozen fossilized dinosaur tracks from about 70 million years ago, including those from both carnivorous and herbivorous dinosaurs. They are now being considered for UNESCO World Heritage status.

 

6) How to tell which fossils have been discovered in the past

To find out if a particular fossil has been found in a certain area, you must go back through history. If you’re curious whether any fossils from North America look like one or more of your finds, check with paleontologists who specialize in North American species. They’ll be able to tell you whether something similar has already been found.

 

7) Local residents must decide what to do with the fossils.

If these fossils were found on a construction site today, they would likely be destroyed. But for over seven decades now, they’ve remained in place undisturbed. The question remains, what should we do with them? I can see several avenues here: We could put them on display at a local museum. We could sell them to collectors. We could auction them off and distribute any proceeds to museums or civic projects that need funding. Or we could leave them right where they are.