Using images of preserved dinosaur footprints that were found about 70 years ago in an ancient riverbed in Texas, scientists have been able to digitally reconstruct a prehistoric chase scene. The footprints were reportedly left over 110 million years ago by two dinosaurs.
Using images of preserved dinosaur footprints that were found about 70 years ago in an ancient riverbed in Texas, scientists have been able to digitally reconstruct a prehistoric chase scene.
The footprints were reportedly left over 110 million years ago by two dinosaurs.
Experts say that one set of tracks belongs to a large herbivore, and the other belongs to a carnivorous theropod dinosaur.
Because of the placement of the tracks, sometimes with one inside the other, they are believed to be evidence of a predator chasing its prey.
The digital model is based on 17 photographs and some maps from when the footprints were found in 1940 before they were excavated and removed from the riverbed.
After being divided into blocks and sent separately to different parts of the world, some of them got lost.
Peter Falkingham, the lead researcher from the Royal Veterinary College, said: “Here we're showing that you can do this to lost or damaged specimens or even entire sites if you have photographs taken at the time. And that means we can reconstruct digitally, and 3D print, objects that no longer exist.”
This method of recreating ancient scenes has already been used in other studies, and is expected to be useful for paleontologists in the future.
