Armored Dinosaur had a Bulletproof Vest

Many dinosaurs relied on plate armor to keep them safe from predators. But one went so far as to grow a ‘bulletproof vest’ over its plate armor. The best-preserved dinosaur fossil on record is a type of ankylosaur called a nodosaur. The nodosaur was a herbivore that grew 18 feet long and lived 110 to 112 million years ago. One of these fossils was so well preserved, scientists were able to determine the strength of its keratin plates and the bony spikes that covered them. It is estimated that the nodosaur could survive a crash with an F150 pickup that was going at speed.

Usually, only the bony spikes remained on other armored dinosaur fossils, because keratin (dead cells that form structures like hair and fingernails) doesn’t fossilize well. So when paleontologists studied armored dinosaurs in the past, they assumed the main protection came from the bony structures, which they thought might have been covered by a thin layer of keratin like a turtle shell.

In 2017, an exceptionally well-preserved fossil was discovered in a mine in Alberta, Canada. The fossil was so well preserved that researchers could analyze the color of its armor and even look into its stomach to see its last meal.

There was a keratin layer over the bones, but it was much thicker than anticipated. It was over 6 inches thick in some places. The keratin sheath over a modern cattle horn is only 0.6 inches thick. The keratin sheath would allow for flexibility and could easily be removed if it got damaged. It would be like trimming a broken nail instead of needing to heal a broken bone.

This armor could withstand much more force than predators of the time could deliver, which suggests the armor may have been used during fights between males who were vying for female mates.

This research also reveals new insight into dinosaur armor in general. It is likely that other armored dinosaurs also had thick keratin sheaths. And those with armored and weaponized faces and heads were probably using a lot more keratin than is normally modeled.

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/armored-dinosaur-could-withstand-the-impact-of-a-high-speed-car-crash-thanks-to-the-bulletproof-vest-over-its-plate-armor/ar-AA1tHLFo?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=f4e5ca4b3d53413dc221ad6255622e96&ei=63

Saber-Toothed Kitten

In Siberia, Scientists have recovered the mummy of a newborn saber-toothed cat from the permafrost. The kitten died at least 35,000 years ago, yet its whiskers and claws are still attached. It is remarkable that the mummy still had sharp claws and whiskers. However, the eyelashes were not preserved.

An analysis of the kitten’s stunningly-preserved head and upper body shows it was 3 weeks old when it died. The pelvic bones, a femur and shin bones were encased in a block of ice with the mummy. The cause of the kitten’s death is unknown.

It is extremely rare to find well-preserved remains of saber-toothed cats. This one is of the species Homotherium latidens. Saber-toothed cats of the Homotherium genus lived across the globe from 5.3 million to 11,700 years ago, but evidence suggests this group became less widespread toward the end of the last ice age.

The latest recorded presence of Homotherium in Eurasia was between 770,000 to 126,000 years ago. But the discovery of this kitten confirms its presence from 126,000 to 11,700 years ago in Asia.

The frozen mummy shows it was well-adapted to ice age conditions. The kitten carcass was compared to that of a modern 3-week-old lion. The saber-toothed kitten had wider paws and no carpal pads, which act as shock absorbers in today’s felines. These adaptations enabled walking with ease in snow, while thick, soft fur found on the mummy shielded it against polar temperatures.

The comparison with the lion also revealed that saber-tooth cats had a larger mouth, smaller ears, longer forelimbs, darker hair and a thicker neck. Studies of adult Holotherium skeletons had already shown that they had short bodies and elongated limbs, but these features were already present at the age of 3 weeks.

Radiocarbon dating of the mummy’s fur suggested the kitten has been buried in permafrost at least 35,000 years, and possibly as long as 37,000 years. The carcass was discovered in 2020 and has enabled scientists to describe physical characteristics such as the fur’s texture, the shape of their muzzle, and the distribution of their muscles.

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/35-000-year-old-saber-toothed-kitten-with-preserved-whiskers-pulled-from-permafrost-in-siberia/ar-AA1ualVY?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=f4e5ca4b3d53413dc221ad6255622e96&ei=47