67.5-Million-Year-Old Dinosaur Fossil Unearthed Beneath Denver Museum
A remarkably well-preserved dinosaur fossil, estimated to be 67.5 million years old, has been discovered 233 meters (763 feet) underground during geothermal drilling in Denver, Colorado. The find, a partial vertebra belonging to a bipedal herbivore, represents the oldest and deepest dinosaur fossil ever found within the city limits, offering a rare glimpse into the prehistoric ecosystem that once thrived beneath present-day Denver.
The discovery occurred in January during a project spearheaded by the Denver Museum of Nature & Science to assess the feasibility of transitioning from natural gas to geothermal energy. According to a statement released by the museum, the fossil was extracted from a core sample nearly 300 meters in length, revealing layers of land and minerals dating back to the late Cretaceous period.
“That this fossil has appeared here, in City Park, it’s really magical,” remarked Bob Raynolds, an associate researcher of Earth Sciences at the Denver Museum. The unearthed vertebra is believed to have belonged to an ornithopod, a type of dinosaur similar to Thescelosaurus, which grew to approximately 3.5 meters (10 to 12 feet) in length and stood roughly the height of an average human. Remains of Thescelosaurus have previously been found in both Canada and the United States, according to the London Natural History Museum.
The finding has been hailed as “the most unusual dinosaur discovery” by Patrick O’Connor, director of Earth Sciences and space at the museum. James Hagadorn, the museum’s Geology Curator, explained to USA Today that the vertebra could be part of a much larger fossil, potentially located more than 213 meters beneath the museum itself. However, he cautioned that the full extent of the fossil may never be known.
“This fossil comes from a time just prior to the mass extinction that ended the dinosaurs, and offers an unusual window to the ecosystem that once existed just below the current Denver,” Hagadorn stated. Researchers speculate that additional fossil remains may be preserved in the underground layers of the area, prompting further investigation.
The discovery in Denver coincides with a separate legal battle unfolding in Texas over the ownership of a 70-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus bataar skull. Robert M. Lavinsky, who purchased the fossil in 2005, is currently contesting efforts by U.S. Customs and Immigration and Control Service (ICE) and the National Security Department (DHS) to confiscate the skull, which they believe may be stolen heritage. The government’s intention to appropriate the relic has been described as “concrete and particularly damaging” in a recent court filing.
Currently, the Denver ornithopod vertebra is on display in the museum’s “Discovering the Teen Rex” exhibition, allowing visitors to view a tangible connection to the prehistoric life that once flourished beneath the city. This remarkable find underscores the potential for unexpected paleontological discoveries in urban environments and highlights the importance of continued geological research.
