Though ground-penetrating radar now helps
archaeologists identify hidden underground
remains, modern palaeontologists still often rely
on the same methods their 19th-century
predecessors did: plain luck. Of course, through a
greater understanding of geology, as well as by
searching in so-called fossil hotspots, it’s
possible to predict where fossils will likely be
found. Once a fossil site has been identifi ed, the
long and delicate process of unearthing the dino
remains begins.
Digging for fossils can be as simple as siev ing
through sand and silt in the search for tiny teeth,
or cracking open large rocks with a hammer and
chisel to see what may be ly ing w ithin. Hills,
quarries, mountainsides and rav ines are often
prime locations for fossil fi nds, as the deep layers
of rock have become exposed by millions of years
of erosion. In these cases heav y diggers and drills
are crucial to reach the fi nds. Dozens of scientists,
students and even enthusiastic volunteers are
employed with brushes and trowels during the
course of an excavation. However, because of the
delicate nature of specimens that are millions of
years old, it can often take what must seem like
another million to safely uproot an entire
dinosaur skeleton.
Of course, palaeontologists do much more than
just dig up old bones. Mixing together the
disciplines of geolog y and biolog y, palaeontolog y
is the study of fossils to reveal the histor y of life
on Earth. So, once the fossilised remains have
been fully excavated, the real work can begin
back in the lab. Here scientists painstakingly
remove any residual earth and stone from the
specimens in preparation for full analysis.
Electron microscopes, CAT scanners and X-ray
machines are all employed to gather as much
information about the creature as possible.
By studying the shape, length and
arrangement of each fossilised bone,
palaeontologists have been able to determine not
only what certain dinosaurs looked like and how
they moved, but also what they ate. The
discover y of indentations on fossilised arm bones
similar to those found on modern birds has also
indicated that many species of dinosaur were
actually feathered.
Bigger, stranger and ever-more unbelievable
dino discoveries are being made all the time,
each one challenging past theories and shedding
new light on the distant land of the Mesozoic
beasts. Thanks to the pioneering work of the
scientists and enthusiasts of the past, each new
fossil found could slot yet another piece of the
prehistoric jigsaw into place.How fossils form
1
A fter death, a dinosaur’s
remains would often just rot
and erode away completely,
leav ing not even a skeleton behind.
However, in the right conditions,
where the remains are kept safe
from weather and hungr y
scavengers, the process of
fossilisation can begin.3
As rising sea levels and
shifting materials leave
the skeleton further
underground, the earth around
the skeleton hardens under
immense pressure. Eventually
the bones entirely dissolve,
leav ing their shape behind in a
natural mould, or cavity under
the ground.2
Over a long period of time,
shifting sands, soil and
sediment entirely cover the
skeleton, encasing it in the ground.
A ny remaining soft tissue such as
skin and organs, decays away
entirely, leaving only the
creature’s bones. At this stage the
remains are only partly fossilised.4
Over time, mineral
deposits slowly gather in
the creature’s mould,
chemically replacing the
original bone. As sea levels
recede away and materials shift
around, the fossil draws closer
to the surface. Eventually it can
be found either entirely exposed
or close to the topsoil.© Thin k stock; Jerr y LoFaro/Stock trek Images/CorbisHow do the remains of prehistoric animals
become fossils, and why do they survive
through the ages?DID YOU KNOW? (^) A study in 2006 indicated that only around 28 per cent of dinosaur genera have been found so far