The ancient landscapes of Alberta’s Dinosaur Provincial Park have long been a treasure trove for paleontologists seeking to unravel the mysteries of the past. However, a new study from McGill University is about to change the game when it comes to dating dinosaur fossils in this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

For decades, scientists have relied on a key geological marker – the contact between the Oldman and Dinosaur Park Formations – as a reference point to estimate the ages of fossil quarries. This method involves comparing how high or low a fossil site is relative to that boundary. But, according to researchers Alexandre Demers-Potvin and Professor Hans Larsson, this approach has significant limitations.

Their study, published in Palaeontologia Electronica, reveals that the Oldman-Dinosaur Park Formation boundary fluctuates in elevation by as much as 12 meters over short distances. This means that estimates of individual fossil ages could be off by a considerable margin – potentially altering our understanding of when different species lived.

To address these uncertainties, Demers-Potvin and Larsson employed advanced drone-assisted 3D mapping techniques to capture high-resolution images of a key fossil site in the park. By processing these images through structure-from-motion photogrammetry, the team created a precise 3D model of the terrain which is geolocated with GPS coordinates measured in the field.

The results are promising: this new dating method might be more dependable than relying on elevation measurements, and could lead to more accurate reconstructions of ancient ecosystems. By mapping sedimentary layers over a broader area, researchers may develop a much clearer picture of biodiversity shifts in an ancient terrestrial ecosystem.

“We’ve essentially shown that the dating method used for decades in Dinosaur Provincial Park may not be as reliable as previously thought,” said Demers-Potvin. “This opens the door to a more refined approach for understanding how different dinosaur species succeeded one another over time.”

The implications of this study are far-reaching, and could have significant impacts on our understanding of Earth’s history and past biodiversity changes. By refining our methods for dating dinosaur fossils, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the complex ecosystems that existed in the ancient world – and may even inform present and future life on our planet.

The Missing Pieces: Uncovering Why Some Ancient Animals Fossilize While Others Disappear

For centuries, scientists have puzzled over why some ancient animals become fossils while others disappear without a trace. A new study from the University of Lausanne has shed light on this mystery by revealing that an animal’s size and chemical makeup can play an essential role in determining whether it’s preserved for millions of years or lost to time.

Fossils are more than just bones; they often contain remarkable traces of soft tissues like muscles, guts, and even brains. These rare finds offer vivid glimpses into the past, but scientists have long wondered why such preservation happens only for certain animals and organs but not others.

To dig into this enigma, a team of researchers conducted state-of-the-art decay experiments, allowing various animals to decompose under precisely controlled conditions. As the bodies broke down, the researchers monitored the surrounding chemical environment using micro-sensors, particularly focusing on the balance between oxygen-rich (oxidizing) and oxygen-poor (reducing) conditions.

The results were striking: larger animals and those with a higher protein content tended to create reducing conditions more rapidly. These conditions are crucial for fossilization because they slow down decay and trigger chemical reactions such as mineralization or tissue replacement by more durable minerals.

“This means that, in nature, two animals buried side by side could have vastly different fates as fossils, simply because of differences in size or body chemistry,” affirms Nora Corthésy, PhD student at UNIL and lead author of the study. “One might vanish entirely, while the other could be immortalized in stone” adds Farid Saleh, Swiss National Science Foundation Ambizione Fellow at UNIL, and Senior author of the paper.

These findings not only help explain the patchy nature of the fossil record but also offer valuable insight into the chemical processes that shape what ancient life we can reconstruct today. Pinpointing the factors that drive soft-tissue fossilization brings us closer to understanding how exceptional fossils form – and why we only see fragments of the past.

The implications of this study are far-reaching, as it may explain why fossil communities dating from the Cambrian and Ordovician periods (around 500 million years ago) are dominated by arthropods. This new knowledge will help scientists better understand the evolution of life on Earth and the secrets hidden within the fossil record.

The discovery of a skeleton in a Roman cemetery in York has provided the first archaeological evidence of gladiatorial combat between humans and lions. The bite marks found on the skeleton confirm that it was a gladiator who fought against a lion, providing a rare glimpse into the lives of these ancient fighters.

Malin Holst, a lecturer in Osteoarchaeology at the University of York, led the research team that made this groundbreaking discovery. She explained that the bite marks were likely made by a lion, which confirms that the skeletons buried at the cemetery were gladiators rather than soldiers or slaves.

“This is the final piece of evidence from work that began in 2004,” said Holst. “We have been excavating and analyzing human remains from the Roman cemetery on Driffield Terrace, and this discovery provides a unique insight into the lives of these ancient fighters.”

The skeleton was buried with two others, and overlaid with horse bones. In life, it appears to have had some issues with its spine that may have been caused by overloading to its back, inflammation of its lung and thigh, as well as malnutrition as a child, which he recovered from.

The lion bite wound — confirmed by comparing it to sample bites from a lion at a zoo — was not healed and is therefore likely to have been his cause of death. It is believed that the individual was decapitated after death, which appears to have been a ritual for some individuals in the Roman period, although the reasons for this remain unclear.

Analysis of the skeleton points towards this being a Bestarius, a gladiator role undertaken by volunteers or slaves.

The discovery has significant implications for our understanding of Roman entertainment culture. It was previously thought that gladiatorial combat only took place in major cities like Rome, but this find suggests that it was also practiced in smaller cities and towns throughout the empire.

“We often have a mental image of these combats occurring at the grand surroundings of the Colosseum in Rome,” said Holst, “but these latest findings show that these sporting events had a far reach, well beyond the centre of core Roman territories.”

York appears to have held gladiator arena events until as late as the fourth century AD. The presence of distinguished Roman leaders in York would have meant they required a lavish social life, and it is not surprising to see evidence of gladiator events, as well as such an extensive burial site for them.

The research team’s findings were published in the Journal of Science and Medical Research PLoS One, and are a collaboration between the University of York, Maynooth University, Cranfield University, Durham University, King’s College London, York Archaeology, and York Osteoarchaeology Ltd.