Fossilized dinosaur feces and vomit help scientists reconstruct the creatures' rise
Scientists are using used fossilized feces and vomit from Poland to reconstruct how dinosaurs came to dominate the Earth
By ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN
Published - Nov 27, 2024, 11:03 AM ET
Last Updated - Nov 27, 2024, 11:03 AM EST
NEW YORK (AP) — Using fossilized feces and vomit samples from Poland, scientists have reconstructed how dinosaurs came to dominate the Earth millions of years ago.
Researchers aren't sure whether dinosaurs' rise over the course of 30 million years happened because of luck, skill, climate or some combination. But they came away knowing this: “It was not a sudden thing,” said study co-author Martin Qvarnström from Uppsala University.
The new study, published Wednesday in the journal Nature, analyzed hundreds of dino droppings to reconstruct who was eating whom 200 million years ago.
The first dinosaurs were go-getters, Qvarnström said, eating whatever they could — including insects, fish and plants.
