Scientists have come across several dinosaur fossils in the past, but never have they seen a fossilized dinosaur brain. Well, this is no longer the case for the first fossilized brain tissue has been found in southeast England.
The small clump of the rock-looking object most likely comes from a dinosaur that lived 133 million years ago. According to scientists, what they have found is a small brain tissue of a leaf-eating dinosaur, a large one at that. Researchers are not 100 percent confident of the type, but it could be similar to an Iguanodon.
According to a report released by the Geological Society of London, the specimen is the first brain tissue found for a dinosaur, so there is a chance of finding more, but those chances are rather slim. Furthermore, scientists say the fossilized brain tissue has similar characteristics to that of crocodiles and birds.
"What we think happened is that this particular dinosaur died in or near a body of water, and its head ended up partially buried in the sediment at the bottom," said David Norman from the University of Cambridge. "Since the water had little oxygen and was very acidic, the soft tissues of the brain were likely preserved and cast before the rest of its body was buried in the sediment."
Here's the thing, these findings could potentially shed light on how dinosaur brains and the brains of other ancient creatures have evolved over millions of years. This has always been a problem for researchers, but things could change for the better.
One of the reasons why scientists haven't come across dinosaur brain tissue in the past is the fact that brains are the first part of a body to decay. It's quite surprising this clump of brain tissue has been found, considering the circumstances.
More Findings On The Horizon?
This finding should allow scientists to have an idea of what to look for when seeking out fossilized dinosaur brains. They know where to look now, so it's only a matter of time, no matter how long, before another clump of brain is located.
How Smart Were The Dinosaurs?
Where the brain fossil was located in the skull should give scientists an idea of how intelligent the ancient creatures were. However, they are hesitant at coming to any conclusion based on a single fossil. We're guessing if more fossils are found in the future, researchers will make an announcement. Don't be too surprised if these creatures were as smart as a crocodile. That would be scary, right?
A New Dinosaur Species
Recently, we reported the discovery of a new species of plant-eating dinosaur in Australia. This is the first to ever be discovered in the country, and we're sure it won't be the last. We understand the creature is a long-neck Sauropod, and spans nearly half the length of a basketball court.
