'Dinosaur Highway' With 166-Million-Year-Old Footprints Found in Quarry

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Posted on 01/02/2025 12:13:24 PM PST by george76

researchers have uncovered a series of massive dinosaur trackways dating back to the Middle Jurassic Period, approximately 166 million years ago.

Dubbed a 'dinosaur highway,' the site features footprints from both herbivorous dinosaurs, likely Cetiosaurus and the fearsome carnivore Megalosaurus.

The discovery was made at Dewars Farm Quarry in Oxfordshire, England, and includes over 200 footprints spread across five extensive trackways, the longest of which stretches more than 150 meters.

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a skeleton is a record of the animal once it's died. Footprints are quite different in that they are snapshots into the life of an animal

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The overlapping tracks of herbivores and carnivores have sparked questions about potential interactions between these species.

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The site's significance is amplified by the use of advanced techniques such as 3D modeling and drone photography, which ensure detailed documentation for future research.

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Gary Johnson, a quarry worker, first noticed unusual bumps on the quarry floor, prompting the involvement of experts from the Universities of Oxford and Birmingham. Over a week in June 2024, a team of over 100 scientists and volunteers uncovered the tracks.

Four of the trackways were attributed to sauropods, like the 18-meter-long Cetiosaurus, while one belonged to the predatory Megalosaurus, recognized for its three-toed footprints, which would have been around 9 meters in length.

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Around 20,000 images were taken during the dig, enabling researchers to analyze the footprints in minute detail. These data will be instrumental for both ongoing studies and educational purposes.

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The preservation is so detailed that we can see how the mud was deformed as the dinosaur's feet squelched in and out. Along with other fossils like burrows, shells and plants, we can bring to life the muddy lagoon environment the dinosaurs walked through."

(Excerpt) Read more at newsweek.com ...

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1 posted on 01/02/2025 12:13:24 PM PST by george76

To: george76

2 posted on 01/02/2025 12:20:16 PM PST by rktman (Destroy America from within ? Check! WTH? Enlisted USN 1967 to end up with this💩? 🚫💉! 🇮🇱👍!)

To: george76

3 posted on 01/02/2025 12:20:35 PM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)

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