For more than two years, Damien Boschetto, a Frenchman, hid a 70 million-year-old titanosaur fossil out of fear that it would get tampered with, Business Insiderreported.
He was walking his dog when he discovered the fossil in Montouliers, near Herault, France. He shared the news with his local archaeologist friend, and both decided to keep it a secret.
He said, “While walking the dog, a landslide on the edge of the cliff exposed the bones of various skeletons; they were fallen bones, therefore isolated. We realised after a few days of excavations that they were connected bones.”
Later, Boschetto reported the discovery to the Cultural, Archaeological, and Paleontological Association in the nearby city of Cruzy.
After analysis, researchers concluded that the fossil was 70% complete. They said, “It is incredibly rare to find an entirely intact fossilised dinosaur skeleton.”
According to a study, 1.7 billion Tyrannosaurus rexes lived between 66 million and 68 million years ago, but scientists have only recovered fossilised remains of fewer than 100 of them.
The Cruzy Museum, home to another titanosaur femur discovered in 2012, will soon have Boschetto’s titanosaur on display.
According to Business Insider, Boschetto left his position in the energy industry in September to pursue a master’s degree in palaeontology.
Dr. Thomas Hughes is a UK-based scientist and science communicator who makes complex topics accessible to readers. His articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
