A dinosaur fossil estimated to be around 70 million years old was found under the parking lot of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. The discovery was made during a drilling project aimed at understanding the geology of the Denver Basin.
Scientists used existing maps and measured the depth of notable fossil discoveries in the area to estimate the age of the fossil. The team believes it may be part of a bigger bone, but cannot link it to a specific dinosaur species.
The fossil is cylindrical and only inches long, making it difficult to identify. However, its discovery adds to the overall understanding of the ecosystem that existed during the late Cretaceous period. This find may also be the oldest dinosaur fossil discovered in the Denver area.
Dinosaur fossils are rare and usually found closer to the surface. The discovery under the museum’s parking lot is notable because it was extracted from deep beneath the ground, only 763 feet below the surface. Previous discoveries of dinosaur bones have been made during construction projects in the region, including a torosaurus skull in 2017.
While some experts consider this find significant, others believe it is not groundbreaking but rather an exciting discovery that highlights the importance of studying the earth’s layers. The team at the museum continues to search for more fossils and believes there may be additional discoveries waiting to be made.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/12/science/denver-museum-nature-science-dinosaur-fossil.html