For several years scientists have been finding fossilized embryos of dinosaurs from 80 million to 100 million years ago. They have now uncovered several 190-million-year-old dinosaur embryos, the oldest ever found.
The discovery is being reported Friday in the journal Science by a team of paleontologists headed by Robert Reisz of the University of Toronto. The fossils were actually excavated in 1978 in South Africa, but it has taken this long to expose the embryos from the surrounding rock and eggshell and then interpret the tiny remains.
They identified the embryos as belonging to a long-necked, plant-eating dinosaur called Massospondylus. As adults, these creatures reached lengths of more than 15 feet and were able to walk on two legs. Yet the new research suggested that their hatchlings began life moving about on all fours, the scientists reported.
Scientists Find Oldest Dinosaur Embryo Ever - New York Times
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