It was a simple enough initiative.
Do some drilling into the rock underneath to study the feasibility of using geothermal energy to power a building.
The building in question: The Denver Museum of Nature and Science.
As you might guess, the scientists at the museum were interested in looking at the core samples to understand the geology underneath their feet. But the core sample had a surprise.
Among the rock layers in the sample, a partial dinosaur bone was extracted from the ground as part of the core. The bone dated back more than 67 million years.
The museum published an article about the discovery, aptly titled, “Museum Makes Another Incredible Dinosaur Discovery — This Time Underneath Our Parking Lot!.”
As you might expect, the scientists at the museum jumped into action to study the entire core and determine the likely animal source of the bone. Their analysis led to the determination that the bone was most likely from the backbone of a herbivore, such as Thescelosaurus or Edmontosaurus.
Once identified and studied, the museum added it to an existing display, “Discovering Teen Rex,” where people could come in and learn about the history hundreds of feet below them.
PHOTO CREDIT: Thescelosaurus neglectus, an hypsilophodont from North America, pencil drawing. (by Nobu Tamura via Wikimedia)
