Dinosaur remains found preserved in amber

TWO pieces of amber with preserved remains of dinosaur feathers and the oldest mammal hairs have been found in Teruel, central Spain, a discovery reminiscent of Jurassic Park.

The discovery has been made at the paleontological site of the Ariño mine, and the pieces are believed to be between 105 and 110 million years old. The area is known for its fossil remains of dinosaurs, crocodiles and turtles.

There are many Lower Cretaceous amber deposits throughout Spain and Portugal, the study of which has provided findings of global relevance, and this latest discovery has been published in the journal Scientific Reports.

One of the pieces of amber was found years ago in the San Just amber deposit of Utrillas and includes several remains of feathers on the amber.

The other was found in Ariño in the Summer of 2019 during an excavation to extract amber from the Santa Maria mine, where two new species of dinosaurs had been found. It contains three mammal hairs, the oldest discovery of their kind. It appears they all came from a small tuft.

Teruel is home to many paleontological sites and a theme park dedicated to dinosaurs, Dinopolis, with a foundation which funds further research and excavations.


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Jennifer Leighfield

Jennifer Leighfield, born in Salisbury, UK; resident in Malaga, Spain since 1989. Degree in Translation and Interpreting in Spanish, French and English from Malaga University (2005), specialising in Crime, Forensic Medicine and Genetics. Published translations include three books by Richard Handscombe. Worked with Euro Weekly News since November 2006. Well-travelled throughout Spain and the rest of the world, fan of Harry Potter and most things ‘geek’.

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