It is almost like the laboratory of billionaire John Hammond in the heart Jurassic Park. Chinese researchers have just discovered a dinosaur embryo ready to hatch, and it represents a major step forward in the study of their behaviour.

new discovery

Stories of dinosaurs, which became extinct 66 million years ago, appear from time to time in the media. We learn, for example, that a new species, such as Ulughbegsaurus uzbekistanensis, was discovered near Tyrannosaurus Rex, discovered in Uzbekistan, or this new species of dinosaur in Australia, Australotitan coprensis, a majestic herbivore.

If many bones appeared over time under the hammers and brushes of paleontologists, then finds of healthy eggs are rare finds. In 2000, researchers found a fossilized egg in Ganzhou, southern China, likely preserved by a sudden mudslide. who buried him, and thus protected him from the scavengers.

ready to hatch

The egg was kept for more than 10 years in the Natural History Museum in the Yingliang Stone, China, and scientists later discovered the egg, as renovations forced teams to relocate the oldest fossils. Thus, the researchers announced that the egg contained a perfectly preserved dinosaur embryo, which was preparing to hatch.

Measuring 27 cm from head to tail in a 17 cm long egg,The newly christened “Baby Yingliang” is a fossil of Oviraptorosaurus, which means “egg-stealing lizards”. The latter were feathered dinosaurs that lived in what is now Asia and North America during the late Cretaceous period, between 100 and 66 million years ago.

The proximity between dinosaurs and birds at the heart of the study

The subject of the proximity between the bird and the dinosaur is the subject of extensive studies (such as that conducted by Professor Alan Grant – exemplified by Sam Neill – in Jurassic Park 3). And the discovery of this fetus increases its weight. Baby Yingliang’s pose, found with the back bent, feet on either side of the head, and the latter folded at the stomach, calls for, Because it is known to birds and never seen to dinosaurs. In fact, this situation allows the chicks to have greater chances of hatching. “This indicates that this behavior in modern birds has its origin in their dinosaur ancestors.”Fionne Wiesom Ma of the University of Birmingham and co-author of the study published in iScience told AFP.

“This dinosaur embryo in its egg is among the most beautiful fossils I have ever seen.”Professor Steve Brusatte said in a statement. If any part of the dinosaur’s body is still covered in rocks, The researchers will use advanced scanning techniques to create an image of his entire skeleton using imaging techniques.