Dinosaurs have captured our imaginations since the term was coined in 1842. The year 2023 has brought new insights into our understanding of the lives, conflicts, and evolution of dinosaurs, as well as the important roles that other creatures, such as mammals, played in their environments. But dinosaurs weren’t the only top dogs in the Mesozoic world!
Dino Defying Mammal Warriors
Paleontologists revealed a shocking discovery in July of 2023, a fossil showing a Cretaceous mammal, Repenomamus, munching on a dinosaur. The mammal was only about the size of a cat, but it had its jaws locked around the ribs of a Psittacosaurus. Despite their size, these creatures weren’t afraid to take on the big dogs. Talk about a cat-astrophe for the dinosaur! To think we believed mammals were mere underdogs during the age of dinosaurs for years.
Squishy Eggs Benedict
Some dinosaur eggs might have been more like yoga balls than hard-boiled eggs! Flexible dinosaur eggs with leathery shells were discovered in 2023 by paleontologists studying the fossilized eggs of Qianlong Shouhu. This long-necked dinosaur held clues that suggested early dinosaur eggs might have had soft, flexible shells instead of the Fort Knox-level hard eggs we usually imagine. This gives us just a glimpse into early adaptations of dino parenting and how they got their kids to eat veggies.
Master Veggie Shredder
Once an enigma to experts, Troodon was found to be a plant-eating dinosaur despite its sharp toothy smile. We used to think it was a predator because of its sharp claws and teeth, but new research showed it was a plant lover, not a fighter. Although it did use its teeth to defend itself, it sure wasn’t used for hunting. This challenges our assumptions based on certain physical traits used to determine a dinosaur’s diet. They may not even have had as large an appetite as we once thought.
Dinosaurs Weren’t Always Big
Much like how smartphones didn’t become powerful overnight, dinosaurs, especially sauropods, didn’t evolve to be giants all at once. Dinosaurs have grown to huge sizes several times throughout history, according to a study on over 250 different species of sauropods. This evolutionary growth spurt happened at least 36 different times over millions of years. They constantly kept adapting to their environmental pressures, getting bigger and stronger to survive. But it wasn’t just about survival, dinos also indulged on occasion.
Tyrannosaur’s Last Meal
A well-preserved young Gorgosaurus fossil unearthed in Alberta proves some dinos may have had a favorite food. Paleontologists discovered the Gorgosaurus, a kind of tyrannosaur, with the remains of two smaller, parrot-like creatures inside its belly. But what’s really interesting is that the Gorgosaurus seemed to prefer hind legs. Maybe because it had the most muscle!
A Love For Drumsticks
The fossil suggests that young Gorgosaurs, like their adult counterparts, had developed tastes for the meatiest parts of their meals. The preference for hind legs made sense, as these muscles were the most nutritious. This fossil offers a rare glimpse into the specific eating habits and limb preferences of young tyrannosaurs.
The Secret Life of City Dinos
Speaking of lost limbs, did you know Central Park almost had a dinosaur museum? A surprising study published in June 2023 shed light on a lost chapter of New York’s history. Central Park was supposed to host a Paleozoic Museum with life-size dinosaur replicas in the late 19th century. But then tragedy struck like a deviant asteroid! The beautifully crafted dinosaur models were destroyed in 1871. While the traditional villain of the story was William “Boss” Tweed, new evidence points to lawyer Henry Hilton. He had a reputation for getting rid of unwanted projects, likely sealing the fate of the museum and erasing one of the coolest dinosaur exhibits ever.
New Dinosaur Species Discovered in the Southern Hemisphere
Meanwhile, in the southern hemisphere a new species of dinosaur, Gonkoken nanoi, made its debut. Paleontologists were surprised to find this shovel-beaked dinosaur in Chile that looked like a hadrosaurs. Gonkoken started in North America and then took a trip down to South America. Once it got settled there, it evolved in isolation like a true introvert. A discovery that offers insight into how dinosaurs diversified and adapted in different regions of the world.
A Dust Bunny That Lasted A Lifetime
As we know dinosaurs didn’t adapt well to asteroid impact. But did you know the asteroid left such a big silicate dust cloud that it lingered for up to 15 years? New research shows this dust disrupted photosynthesis and made the Earth really cold really fast. So even though the dinosaurs perished instantly, the asteroid had long-lasting consequences that changed the whole planet.
How To Support A 45-Foot Neck
In March 2023, scientists revisited fossils of Mamenchisaurus sinocanadorum. This dinosaur has one of the longest necks on record, over 45 feet. That’s nearly as long as the largest dinosaurs we’ve ever found! Its fossils showed that these dinosaurs had developed lighter bones to support their massive necks. Air pockets in their neck bones made them lighter, while cervical ribs helped stabilize the vertebrae. This unique combination allowed the dinosaur to support such an enormous neck without breaking down under its own weight.
Prehistoric Gum Guards
Another March study suggests that dinosaurs likely had lips. Even the infamous T. rex! These lips would have kept their sharp teeth covered, so they wouldn’t get dry or damaged, just like our lips protect our teeth. But their lip-smacking didn’t prevent their fierce biting power. Now it’s hard to believe we used to think our dinos walked around with exposed chompers.
In short
It’s been a dino-mite year! 2023 showed us dinosaurs had to fight off mammals, vegetarian dinosaurs couldn’t be identified by teeth alone, and some dino eggs felt more like water balloons. Every new fossil brings us closer to understanding these amazing creatures.
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