Palaeontologists in Canada have unveiled a dinosaur mummy that had been encased in stone for over 110 million years. The remains of the armour-plated nodosaur, which is a 3000-pound plant-eating horned creature, went on display at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology in Alberta on 12 May 2017.
Speaking on the remarkable discovery, Caleb Brown, a postdoctoral researcher at the museum stated that they don’t just have a skeleton, they have a dinosaur as it would have been.
Key Details
• The dinosaur mummy has all the skin and gut contents intact.
• It is also a never-seen-before species of nodosaur, as well as the oldest dinosaur ever found in Alberta.
• Its preserved skin and gut contents could provide invaluable clues on the extinct species.
• The fossil was accidentally discovered by miners six years ago.
• Since the last five years, researchers have spent more than 7,000 hours chiselling away at the fossil’s surrounding rock to expose the incredible creature
• For the last five years, researchers have spent more than 7,000 hours chiselling away at the fossil’s surrounding rock to expose the creature.
• The fossil broke into pieces upon its removal from Alberta’s Millennium Mine in 2011.
Speaking of the damage caused to precious fossil, Darren Tanke, a paleo technician with the Royal Tyrrell Museum said that though it is unfortunate that it happened, it is restorable. He added by saying that everything broke cleanly and in big pieces.
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