A fossil bone from a small plant-eating dinosaur was found over 750 feet under the ground in the parking lot of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science in Colorado. The discovery, made using a bore five centimeters wide, is considered “super rare” by museum curator James Hagadorn.
Hagadorn described finding the fossil as “like hitting a hole in one from the moon” or “winning the Willy Wonka factory,” highlighting its uniqueness. The dinosaur lived during the late Cretaceous period, around 67.5 million years ago.
In addition to the bone, fossilized vegetation was discovered near the site. Hagadorn acknowledged that excavating the rest of the dinosaur would be impractical due to the parking lot’s need for space.
Curators Patrick O’Connor and Thomas Williamson offered insights into the discovery. O’Connor noted that the find is potentially Denver’s deepest and oldest, suggesting a swampy environment with heavy vegetation at the time.
However, Williamson expressed skepticism about the scientific significance of the discovery. The fossil is now on display to the public at the museum, marking one of only two similar finds in bore hole samples worldwide.
Source: https://www.foxnews.com/travel/museum-discovers-rare-67-million-year-old-dinosaur-bone-under-parking-lot