Scientists find Antarctic dinosaur fossil hidden in a drawer

Key Points:

• Scientists have identified a rare dinosaur fossil from Antarctica, specifically a tail bone from a long-necked, plant-eating titanosaur, discovered in 1985 but only recently confirmed as dinosaurian.
• The fossil was found on James Ross Island during an expedition led by geologist Mike Thomson, who initially recorded it as a large reptile; it remained unrecognized as a dinosaur until paleontologist Mark Evans examined it decades later.
• Dinosaur fossils are rare in Antarctica due to ice coverage, but millions of years ago, the region had lush forests and a more hospitable climate, allowing such creatures to thrive.
• The dinosaur was relatively small for a titanosaur, about 23 feet long, possibly a juvenile, and likely died near the coast with its body drifting to the sea floor where it fossilized.
• Advances in technology enabled detailed analysis of the fossil, and although Thomson passed away before the discovery was confirmed, researchers believe he would have been pleased by the identification.