Published 14:52 IST, January 30th 2020
Fossil footprints from early Jurassic era found in South Africa
In scientific discovery, fossil footprints belonging to the early Jurassic era were found in South Africa. The footprints were thought to be 183m years old
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In a recent scientific discovery, fossil footprints belonging to the early Jurassic era were found in South Africa. According to reports, the fossil footprints were 183 million years old and belonged to intrepid dinosaurs and a few other animals that inhabited a region before large amounts of lava started to flow across the landscape. The previously inhabited region is now known as the semiarid Karoo region of South Africa.
Footprints discovered in a layer of sandstone
A geologist, Emese Bordy said that the intrepid dinosaurs were among the last animals known to have inhabited the region before it was engulfed by molten lava. The discovery was published in a journal by the name of Plos One. The team involved in the research discovered a layer of sandstone on a farm located in central South Africa.
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The discovery contained five fossils that belonged to three different animals. According to reports, one of the fossil footprints belonged to a small two-legged carnivorous dinosaur whereas another footprint was of a four-legged herbivore dinosaur and one the other footprint belonged to a primitive mammal. The sandstone that was discovered contained fossil footprints in between layers of volcanic rock and eventually revealing an ecosystem that survived a time plagued with constant volcanic eruptions.
Many species perished due to gases emitting from Lava
According to reports, Bordy said that the properties of the discovered sandstone allowed the researchers find out that the footprints were deposited in seasonal streams that flowed during events such as flash floods. The research stated that during the particular time when molten lava flowed onto lands located in South Africa, many species perished especially in the oceans due to the gases emitting from the lava. Fossil footprints unlike skeletal remains, only give evidence that a species existed in a particular environment.
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Two-legged Cretaceous period dinosaur discovered in China
A 120 million-year-old fossil of a two-legged Cretaceous period dinosaur was discovered in China's Jehol province. The new finding was thought to shed some light on the evolutionary gap between dinosaurs and birds. Interestingly, the fossil was found about a decade ago but it was not until recently that the study began. The study which was published in The Anatomical Record revealed that the creature had feathers on its legs and arms that resembled feathers on bird wings. According to the study, the creature had a bony tail which also had two feathers on it.
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14:52 IST, January 30th 2020