The Denver Museum of Nature and Science, renowned for its prehistoric exhibits, has stumbled upon a significant fossil discovery in the most unexpected of places – its own parking lot. Following an exploration over 750 feet deep to investigate geothermal heating possibilities, the museum unearthed a fossil, a discovery so improbable that it compares to hitting a hole in one from space. James Hagadorn, the museum’s curator of geology, equates the rarity of the find to the improbability of winning a Willy Wonka factory.
The fossil, believed to be the vertebra of a small, plant-eating dinosaur from the late Cretaceous period, was found alongside fossilized vegetation, suggesting the creature inhabited a swampy, heavily vegetated environment. This discovery is particularly notable in Denver, a region already rich with dinosaur fossil finds including samples from Tyrannosaurus rex and triceratops. Unlike previous discoveries, this vertebrate fossil is the oldest and deepest found in the area.
Reactions from the scientific community have been mixed, with some expressing surprise but not particularly excitement, due in part to the inability to pinpoint the exact species of the dinosaur. Despite this, there is acknowledgement of the fossil’s uniqueness and its display at the museum. While there are no plans to dig deeper under the parking lot to uncover more of the fossil, this discovery serves as a testament to the groundbreaking research occurring at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/10/denver-museum-fossil-parking-lot
