September 5, 2020

Sauropod fossil embryo

An article published in the journal “Current Biology” reports the study of a fossil embryo of titanosaur dating back to about 80 million years ago, in the Cretaceous period, that came from Argentina. A team of researchers led by Dr. Martin Kundrat used sophisticated techniques to study it. The egg around it was dissolved by applying very carefully an acid preparation, and at that point, the embryo was scanned at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble, France, which made it possible to create a three-dimensional reproduction. The examination offers new insight into the development of sauropods, the large group of herbivorous dinosaurs, and particularly their skulls, indicating that at least titanosaurs had stereoscopic vision and a horn like rhinos that was lost in adulthood.