A rock discovered in Queensland, northeastern Australia, in 2002 and placed in a high school’s entrance hall has now been identified as preserving dinosaur footprints dating back approximately 200 million years, according to a recent investigation by the University of Queensland. After more than 20 years, the mystery of the footprints has finally been solved.
The rock, roughly one square meter in size, was unearthed from a local coal mine before being donated to a local high school, Biloela State High School. Researchers found a total of 66 footprints on its surface, identifying them as belonging to a small herbivorous dinosaur from the Early Jurassic period, known as Anomoepus. This dinosaur stood less than one meter tall, with foot lengths ranging from 15 to 50 centimeters, and is believed to have walked on two legs.
Further analysis revealed that the tracks were left by 47 individual dinosaurs. The footprints likely formed when the dinosaurs walked at a speed of less than 6 km/h across a shallow riverbed or wetland, eventually becoming fossilized.
Viewer Comments:
47 dinosaurs is quite a big herd. I wonder if they moved in groups back then.
It would’ve been cool if at least a few of them had survived until today.
It’s amazing that they can figure out the walking speed and number of dinosaurs just from the footprints.
Source:66 Dinosaur Footprints Found on Rock at an Australian High School | Discover Magazine
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