Digging into the molecules of fossilized dinosaur eggshells

(American Chemical Society) Dinosaurs roamed the Earth more than 65 million years ago, and paleontologists and amateur fossil hunters are still unearthing traces of them today. The minerals in fossilized eggs and shell fragments provide snapshots into these creatures' early lives, as well as their fossilization processes. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Earth and Space Chemistry have analyzed the molecular makeup of fossilized dinosaur eggshells from Mexico, finding nine amino acids and evidence of ancient protein structures.
Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news