Scientists have identified a rare dinosaur fossil from Antarctica that had been stored for decades in a drawer. The bone fragment comes from the tail of a titanosaur, a long-necked, plant-eating dinosaur.
The fossil was discovered in 1985 on Antarctica's James Ross Island by geologist Mike Thomson, who was working with the British Antarctic Survey. At the time, Thomson was mapping rock layers and collecting marine reptile fossils for dating purposes, recording the find as a large reptile.
Decades later, paleontologist Mark Evans noticed the bone in the British Antarctic Survey's collections and suspected it might be from a dinosaur. He, along with other researchers, analyzed the bone's shape and compared it with more complete dinosaur remains, confirming it as a dinosaur fossil. The findings were published in the journal Acta Palaeontologica Polonica.
Dinosaur fossils are uncommon finds in Antarctica due to its ice caps. However, millions of years ago, the region was a hospitable environment with lush forests. The dinosaur, measuring about 23 feet (7 meters) long, was considered small for its group and may have been young at the time of its death. Researchers hypothesize that its body floated away from the coast and sank to the seabed, where it became fossilized in marine rock.
Technological advancements have enabled researchers to examine the interior of the bone, providing more detailed information about the ancient creature. Thomson passed away in 2020 before the fossil was identified as a dinosaur. "If he were still with us, he would be delighted to know what this was," said study co-author Mike Evans.