Denver museum discovers nearly 70-million-year-old fossil under parking lot
"This may be the most unusual dinosaur discovery I have ever been a part of," said Patrick O'Connor, director of Earth & Space Sciences at the Museum, in a statement.
In January, the museum conducted a geothermal test drilling project to see if it was possible to switch from natural gas to geothermal energy, according to a press release published on the museum's website.
"At that time, the team took the opportunity to carry out a scientific coring research initiative to help researchers better understand the geology of the Denver Basin," the press release stated. "The coring investigation led to the unexpected discovery of a nearly [70 million-year-old] dinosaur fossil."
The discovery, a partial-bone fossil that was identified as a vertebra of a herbivorous dinosaur, is on display in the 'Discovering Teen Rex' exhibition on the museum floor.
'In my 35 years at the Museum, we've never had an opportunity quite like this — to study the deep geologic layers beneath our feet with such precision," Bob Raynolds, a longtime Earth Sciences Research Associate, said in a statement. "That this fossil turned up here, in City Park, is nothing short of magical.'
More news: Pterosaur fossil discovered in Arizona's Petrified Forest National Park fills gap in record
Where was the fossil located?
The fossil was found 763 feet below the surface of the museum's parking lot near the city's largest park, City Park, which also contains the Denver Zoo.
It "has been identified as the deepest and oldest dinosaur fossil ever found within the city limits," according to the museum.
What did the fossil belong to?
The museum only states that the fossil likely belonged to a plant-eating dinosaur that walked on two legs. But, it looks very similar to one belonging to a Thescelosaurus from the latest Cretaceous Period.
Remains of the dinosaur have been found in Canada and the U.S., according to the Natural History Museum in London.
The dinosaur, which name means "wonderful lizard," would have been nearly as tall as the average man and been around 10-12 feet long, or 3.5 meters.
How old was the fossil?
The bones were found in rock from the Late Cretaceous period, and are dated to be around 67.5 million years ago.
'This fossil comes from an era just before the mass extinction that wiped out the dinosaurs, and it offers a rare window into the ecosystem that once existed right beneath modern-day Denver," James Hagadorn, curator of geology at the Museum, said in a statement.
It was a small ornithopod, which means a bipedal dinosaur with only three functional toes, according to Mirriam-Webster.
Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com
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