Scientists try to solve mystery of mass dinosaur grave beneath lush Canadian forest
ALBERTA, Canada — Hidden beneath the slopes of a lush forest in Alberta, Canada, is a mass grave on a monumental scale.
Thousands of dinosaurs were buried here, killed in an instant on a day of utter devastation.
Now, a group of paleontologists have come to Pipestone Creek — appropriately nicknamed the "River of Death" — to help solve a 72-million-year-old enigma: how did they die?
Trying to work out exactly what happened here starts with the hefty strike of a sledgehammer.
Brute force is needed to crack open the thick layer of rock that covers what Professor Emily Bamforth, who's leading the dig, describes as "paleo gold".
As her team begins the more delicate job of removing the layers of dirt and dust, a jumble of fossilized bones slowly begins to emerge."That big blob of bone right there is, we think, part of a hip," Prof Bamforth says, watched on by her dog Aster — whose job today is to bark if she spots any nearby bears."Then here, we have all of these long, skinny bones. These are all ribs. And this is a neat one — it's part of a toe bone. This one here, we have no idea what it is — it's a great example of a Pipestone Creek mystery."BBC News has come to Pipestone Creek to witness the sheer scale of this prehistoric graveyard and see how researchers are piecing together the clues.Thousands of fossils have been collected from the site, and are constantly generating new discoveries.The bones all belong to a dinosaur called Pachyrhinosaurus. The species, and Prof Bamforth's excavation, feature in a new landmark BBC series — Walking With Dinosaurs — which uses visual effects and science to bring this prehistoric world to life.These animals, which lived during the Late Cretaceous period, were a relative of the Triceratops. Measuring about five meters long and weighing two tonnes, the four-legged beasts had large heads, adorned with a distinctive bony frill and three horns. Their defining feature was a big bump on the nose called a boss.The dig season has just started and lasts each year until autumn. The fossils in the small patch of ground that the team are working on are incredibly tightly packed; Prof Bamforth estimates there are up to 300 bones in every square metre.So far, her team has excavated an area the size of a tennis court, but the bed of bones extends for a kilometre into the hillside."It's jaw dropping in terms of its density," she tells us."It is, we believe, one of the largest bone beds in North America."More than half of the known dinosaur species in the world are described from a single specimen. We have thousands of Pachyrhinosaurus here."Paleontologists believe the dinosaurs were migrating together in a colossal herd for hundreds of miles from the south — where they had spent the winter — to the north for the summer.The area, which had a much warmer climate than it does today, would have been covered in rich vegetation, providing abundant food for this enormous group of plant-eating animals."It is a single community of a single species of animal from a snapshot in time, and it's a huge sample size. That almost never happens in the fossil record," says Prof Bamforth.And this patch of north-western Alberta wasn't just home to Pachyrhinosaurus. Even bigger dinosaurs roamed this land, and studying them is essential to try and understand this ancient ecosystem.Two hours drive away, we reach the Deadfall Hills. Getting there involves a hike through dense forest, wading — or doggy-paddling in the case of Aster — across a fast-running river, and clambering over slippery rocks.No digging is required here; super-sized bones lie next to the shoreline, washed out from the rock and cleaned by the flowing water, just waiting to be picked up.A huge vertebra is quickly spotted, as are bits of ribs and teeth scattered across the mud.Palaeontologist Jackson Sweder is particularly interested in what looks like a chunk of dinosaur skull. "Most of what we find here is a duck-billed dinosaur called Edmontosaurus. If this is a skull bone, this is a dinosaur that's large — probably 30ft (10m) long," he says.The Edmontosaurus, another herbivore, roamed the forests like the Pachyrhinosaurus — and is helping paleontologists build up a picture of this ancient land.Sweder is the collection manager at the Philip J Currie Dinosaur Museum in nearby Grande Prairie, where the bones from both of these giants are taken to be cleaned up and analyzed. He is currently working on a huge Pachyrhinosaurus skull that's about 1.5m long and has been nicknamed "Big Sam".He points to where the three horns should be at the top of the frill, but the one in the middle is missing. "All the skulls that are decently complete have a spike in that spot," he says. "But its nice little unicorn spike doesn't seem to be there."Throughout years working at the extraordinary site, the museum team has collected 8,000 dinosaur bones, and the surfaces of the lab are covered in fossils; there are bones from Pachyrhinosaurus of every size, from young to old.Having material from so many animals allows researchers to learn about dinosaur biology, answering questions about how the species grows and the make-up of the community. They can also look at individual variations, to see how one Pachyrhinosaurus could stand out from the herd – as may be the case with Big Sam and his missing spike.All of this detailed research, in the museum and at the two sites, is helping the team to answer the vital question: how did so many animals in Pipestone Creek die at the same time?"We believe that this was a herd on a seasonal migration that got tangled up in some catastrophic event that effectively wiped out, if not the entire herd, then a good proportion of it," Prof Bamforth says.All the evidence suggests that this catastrophic event was a flash flood — perhaps a storm over the mountains that sent an unstoppable torrent of water towards the herd, ripping trees from their roots and shifting boulders.Prof Bamforth says the Pachyrhinosaurus wouldn't have stood a chance. "These animals are not able to move very fast because of their sheer numbers, and they're very top heavy — and really not very good at swimming at all."Rocks found at the site show the swirls of sediment from the fast-flowing water churning everything up. It's as if the destruction is frozen in time as a wave in the stone.But this nightmare day for the dinosaurs is now a dream for paleontologists."We know, every time we come here, it's 100% guaranteed we'll find bones. And every year we discover something new about the species," says Prof Bamforth."That's why we keep coming back, because we're still finding new things."As the team packs up their tools ready to return another day, they know there's a lot of work ahead. They've only just scratched the surface of what's here — and there are many more prehistoric secrets just waiting to be revealed. — BBC
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Saudi Gazette
4 days ago
- Saudi Gazette
Work begins to create artificial human DNA from scratch
LONDON — Work has begun on a controversial project to create the building blocks of human life from scratch, in what is believed to be a world first. The research has been taboo until now because of concerns it could lead to designer babies or unforeseen changes for future generations. But now the world's largest medical charity, the Wellcome Trust, has given an initial £10m to start the project and says it has the potential to do more good than harm by accelerating treatments for many incurable diseases. Dr Julian Sale, of the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, who is part of the project, told BBC News the research was the next giant leap in biology. "The sky is the limit. We are looking at therapies that will improve people's lives as they age, that will lead to healthier aging with less disease as they get older. "We are looking to use this approach to generate disease-resistant cells we can use to repopulate damaged organs, for example in the liver and the heart, even the immune system," he said. But critics fear the research opens the way for unscrupulous researchers seeking to create enhanced or modified humans. Dr Pat Thomas, director of the campaign group Beyond GM, said: "We like to think that all scientists are there to do good, but the science can be repurposed to do harm and for warfare". Details of the project were given to BBC News on the 25th anniversary of the completion of the Human Genome Project, which mapped the molecules in human DNA and was also largely funded by Wellcome. Every cell in our body contains a molecule called DNA which carries the genetic information it needs. DNA is built from just four much smaller blocks referred to as A, G, C and T, which are repeated over and over again in various combinations. Amazingly it contains all the genetic information that physically makes us who we are. The Human Genome Project enabled scientists to read all human genes like a bar code. The new work that is getting under way, called the Synthetic Human Genome Project, potentially takes this a giant leap forward – it will allow researchers not just to read a molecule of DNA, but to create parts of it – maybe one day all of it — molecule by molecule from scratch. The scientists' first aim is to develop ways of building ever larger blocks of human DNA, up to the point when they have synthetically constructed a human chromosome. These contain the genes that govern our development, repair and maintenance. These can then be studied and experimented on to learn more about how genes and DNA regulate our bodies. Many diseases occur when these genes go wrong so the studies could lead to better treatments, according to Prof Matthew Hurles, director of the Wellcome Sanger Insititute which sequenced the largest proportion of the Human Genome. "Building DNA from scratch allows us to test out how DNA really works and test out new theories, because currently we can only really do that by tweaking DNA in DNA that already exists in living systems". The project's work will be confined to test tubes and dishes and there will be no attempt to create synthetic life. But the technology will give researchers unprecedented control over human living systems. And although the project is hunting for medical benefits, there is nothing to stop unscrupulous scientists misusing the technology. They could, for example, attempt to create biological weapons, enhanced humans or even creatures that have human DNA, according to Prof Bill Earnshaw, a highly respected genetic scientist at Edinburgh University who designed a method for creating artificial human chromosomes. "The genie is out of the bottle," he told BBC News. "We could have a set of restrictions now, but if an organisation who has access to appropriate machinery decided to start synthesising anything, I don't think we could stop them" Ms Thomas is concerned about how the technology will be commercialised by healthcare companies developing treatments emerging from the research. "If we manage to create synthetic body parts or even synthetic people, then who owns them. And who owns the data from these creations? " Given the potential misuse of the technology, the question for Wellcome is why they chose to fund it. The decision was not made lightly, according to Dr Tom Collins, who gave the funding go-ahead. "We asked ourselves what was the cost of inaction," he told BBC News. "This technology is going to be developed one day, so by doing it now we are at least trying to do it in as responsible a way as possible and to confront the ethical and moral questions in an upfront way as possible". A dedicated social science program will run in tandem with the project's scientific development and will be led by Prof Joy Zhang, a sociologist, at the University of Kent. "We want to get the views of experts, social scientists and especially the public about how they relate to the technology and how it can be beneficial to them and, importantly, what questions and concerns they have," she said. — BBC
Asharq Al-Awsat
02-06-2025
- Asharq Al-Awsat
After Extolling Its Virtues on TikTok… Is Cola-Fries Combination Helping Migraine?
Migraine is a painful and disturbing condition that affects many people. So when a hack comes along that says it can 'cure,' or at the very least fend off a migraine, people will try it. While there are medical treatments, there is no cure. Prescription medication can be very effective - but it doesn't always work. For many people there is no simple solution. Some discover their own ways of managing the debilitating pain: blasting the side of their face with a hairdryer, or sitting in a hot bath while wearing an ice pack and drinking a smoothie. But now a new hack has suddenly gone viral - the McMigraine Meal. A simple offering of a full-fat cola and a portion of salty fries seems to be doing the trick for hundreds who've been extolling its virtues on TikTok, according to BBC. If there is any science behind these hacks - what do they do to the body? For Kayleigh Webster, a 27-year-old who has had chronic migraines all her life, it's the salt on the chips that might slow down a migraine attack. 'It can help,' she says cautiously, 'but it's certainly not a cure.' She said, 'Migraine is a complex neurological condition - and it can't be cured by a bit of caffeine, salt and sugar in a fast food meal.' Kayleigh's tried cocktails of different medications, putting her feet in hot water, a flannel at the back of the head, acupuncture, cupping - but they've had little effect. One of the few treatments that has given her relief is medical Botox - having dozens of injections in her head, face and neck. It's still not clear how Botox works for migraine, but it's believed to block powerful pain signals being released from the nerves. Skulls dating back to 3,000 BC show ancient Egyptians even had trouble with migraines - but despite that long history, their exact cause is still unknown. Dr Kay Kennis, a trustee for the Migraine Trust and a GP who specializes in migraines, explained how elements in coke and fries can help stave off a migraine attack. 'The caffeine in the coke can act as a nerve disruptor, it is a substance that affects nerve activity. For some, that disturbance works in a positive way,' Kennis said. 'There are some painkillers that people take for migraines that have caffeine - and some do respond well to that - but we don't fully know why.' But she warned against using caffeinated fizzy drinks like cola as a way of regularly managing migraines. 'Too much caffeine can be a trigger too - and you can end up in a worse situation in the long run,' Kennis said. Other ingredients in a fast food meal, like the salt on the chips, can affect nerve activity, she explains, but adds the effects of sodium on migraines have not been tested. She also warned that not only is fast food often ultra-processed and not conducive to a healthy diet, it can contain high levels of Tyramine, a natural compound commonly found in many foods, which can actually cause severe migraines. Some social media users say the hack does not work. 'There are so many videos online that take advantage of the desperation we all feel," Eloise explains,' said one TikTok user, Eloise Underwood. Prof Peter Goadsby, a neurologist at the NIHR-King's Clinical Research Facility, said research is beginning to produce positive results after years of underfunding. His latest study shows medications known as gepants could block a group of pain receptors in the lead-up to a migraine attack, cutting off the pain before it starts. 'Listen to your body - don't listen to TikTok, that's my advice,' Goadsby said. 'If you can feel the warning signs - yawning, sleepiness, mood change, passing more urine and even craving salt and sugar - listen to your body.'
Asharq Al-Awsat
20-05-2025
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Mystery of Dinosaur Mass Grave at Canada's 'River of Death'
Hidden beneath the slopes of a lush forest in Alberta, Canada, is a mass grave on a monumental scale. Thousands of dinosaurs were buried there, killed in an instant on a day of utter devastation. A group of paleontologists have come to Pipestone Creek - appropriately nicknamed the 'River of Death' - to help solve a 72-million-year-old enigma: how did they die? According to a report by BBC, trying to work out exactly what happened there starts with the hefty strike of a sledgehammer. Brute force is needed to crack open the thick layer of rock that covers what Professor Emily Bamforth, who's leading the dig, described as "palaeo gold." As her team begins the more delicate job of removing the layers of dirt and dust, a jumble of fossilized bones slowly begins to emerge. The fossils in the small patch of ground that the team are working on are incredibly tightly packed. Bamforth estimates there are up to 300 bones in every square meter. Thousands of fossils have been collected from the site, and are constantly generating new discoveries. Paleontologists believe the dinosaurs were migrating together in a colossal herd for hundreds of miles from the south - where they had spent the winter - to the north for the summer. Paleontologist Jackson Sweder is particularly interested in what looks like a chunk of dinosaur skull. 'Most of what we find here is a duck-billed dinosaur called Edmontosaurus. If this is a skull bone, this is a dinosaur that's large - probably 30ft (10m) long,' he said. Sweder is the collection manager at the Philip J Currie Dinosaur Museum in nearby Grande Prairie, where the bones from both of these giants are taken to be cleaned up and analyzed. He is currently working on a huge Pachyrhinosaurus skull that's about 1.5m long and has been nicknamed 'Big Sam.' All the evidence suggests that this catastrophic event was a flash flood - perhaps a storm over the mountains that sent an unstoppable torrent of water towards the herd, ripping trees from their roots and shifting boulders. 'We know, every time we come here, it's 100% guaranteed we'll find bones. And every year we discover something new about the species,' said Bamforth. As the team packs up their tools ready to return another day, they know there's a lot of work ahead. They've only just scratched the surface of what's here - and there are many more prehistoric secrets just waiting to be revealed.
