Scientists have pieced together the rise of dinosaurs millions of years ago using fossilized feces and vomit samples from Poland. This groundbreaking study, published in Nature, analyzed hundreds of dinosaur droppings to understand their diets and adaptability over 30 million years.
Study co-author Martin Qvarnstrom from Uppsala University emphasized that the dinosaurs' ascent wasn't sudden. \"It was not a sudden thing,\" Qvarnstrom said. The early dinosaurs were versatile eaters, consuming insects, fish, and plants. Their ability to adapt to changing climate conditions played a crucial role in their dominance. For instance, plant-eating dinosaurs diversified their diets when wetter climates introduced new plant species.
While the study's findings are based on Polish fossils, Qvarnstrom expressed interest in verifying these theories with global fossil records. Emma Dunne, a paleobiologist from the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, highlighted the value of ancient droppings in scientific research, noting that they contain delicate and fine information despite their unassuming appearance. \"They are a really unassuming, quite plain part of the background,\" Dunne stated. \"But they hold so much delicate, fine information.\"
This research offers a fascinating glimpse into the factors that enabled dinosaurs to thrive and dominate the Earth millions of years ago.
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Fossilized feces and vomit help scientists reconstruct dinosaurs' rise
cgtn.com
