Scientists have made an astonishing discovery of the largest concentration of dinosaur footprints per square meter in Australia, hidden beneath a rock slab in a high school for decades. The 200-million-year-old footprints reveal the presence of small herbivorous dinosaurs, such as Anomoepus scambus, which roamed Central Queensland during the early Jurassic period.
Lead researcher Anthony Romilio documented 66 footprints using 3D imaging and light filters, each with three toes, indicating they belonged to the same ichnospecies. The dinosaur footprints show the animals were traveling at a speed of less than 4 miles per hour, providing valuable insights into their behavior and movement patterns.
The discovery was made by Romilio’s team after a community member recognized his earlier work on dinosaur footprints and realized that the high school rock might hold something important. “Significant fossils like this can sit unnoticed for years, even in plain sight,” Romilio explained. The study also highlights another set of footprints from the same region, which were previously unknown to science.
The discovery was made at a coal mine near Biloela and has provided new insight into the ancient past in Central Queensland. It serves as a reminder that hidden wonders can be found in unexpected places, even in our own backyards.
Source: https://gizmodo.com/this-high-school-rock-is-teeming-with-dinosaur-footprints-but-no-one-noticed-for-decades-2000575447