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Fossils help paleontologists understand much more than what dinosaurs looked like. They provide clues to dinosaur behavior and the environment in which they lived. Here are just some of the things scientists are studying about these fossils found at the Jurassic Mile® dig site in Wyoming to unlock secrets of the prehistoric past.
Trackways
Trackways include things like footprints but also marks made by tails, bellies, snouts, and more. Our scientists are trying to determine what the Jurassic Mile® footprints can tell us about the animals that lived there.
Plants
Paleobotonist are is studying the fossil plant evidence at the Jurassic Mile® to help paint a picture of what the site looked like 150 million years ago.
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Pathologies
Pathologies are injuries, infections, and diseases. Paleopathologists are looking at various ailments that affected the specimens.
Tooth Marks
Tooth marks give us indications of predation and scavenging. This information can help reveal the animals that were feeding on our specimens and how quickly the specimens were buried.
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Fossilization
The way that bones fossilize is variable and complex. Scientists are using chemical analyses conducted at synchrotrons—large particle accelerators—to determine how the fossils became preserved.
Histology
The microstructure of bone tells a great deal about an animal’s physiology, including how quickly it grew, how old it was when it died, and more. Looking at the microstructures of the Jurassic Mile® fossils helps us discover how these animals lived.
