After decades of puzzling researchers, a 280-million-year-old fossil has been revealed to be a forgery, following a new examination of the remnants.
Discovered in the Italian Alps in 1931, Tridentinosaurus antiquus was initially believed to be a crucial specimen for understanding early reptile evolution. However, recent research published in the journal Palaeontology has uncovered that the fossil, celebrated for its remarkable preservation, is mostly just black paint on a carved lizard-shaped rock surface.
The purported fossilized skin had been widely celebrated but never studied in detail, leaving many experts uncertain about its classification and geological history. Dr. Rossi, of UCC’s School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, emphasized the importance of studying the fossil specimen in detail to reveal its secrets, even those that may be unexpected.
2024-02-19 02:00:04
Article from phys.org