USA – Historical Biology magazine published the results of research on a massive rock wall in Alaska known as the Coliseum. Paleontologists were surprised when they discovered that there were visible traces of different types of dinosaurs on its surface. However, this is not a phenomenon that indicated that these prehistoric animals were able to defy gravity, but the result of geological processes.
Colosseum Cliff in Denali National Park in Alaska is approximately 66 meters high. Only recently it attracted the attention of paleontologists, who observed dinosaur tracks on it. Although the discovery gives the impression that these creatures defied gravity and were able to walk on its surface, the reality is different, experts reported in their research. About 70 million years ago, during the Late Cretaceous period, the massive rock was a muddy sediment and was probably surrounded by a body of water that served as a watering hole. This explains the presence of a wide variety of dinosaur tracks in the cliff wall, including juveniles and adults of various species of these animals.
Long after the dinosaurs left their footprints in the area, the trampled surface heaved under the impact of tectonic plates, much like the force of a car’s hood bends. This tectonic activity was according to National Park News part of the geological process that supported the creation of the 966-kilometer-long Alaskan mountain range in Denali. Scientists called this place the Colosseum, because the body of water attracted a large number of dinosaurs to it.
The cliff is part of a massive rocky outcrop, which is approximately seven hours’ walk from the nearest road. Another scientific team had already discovered a set of tracks at its foot in the past. But then they overlooked their complicated mosaic. The reason was the fact that most of them were under other sediments. However, when their colleagues visited the place, they noticed hidden tracks. “When we first went there, we didn’t see much either,” stated study co-author Pat Druckenmiller of the University of Alaska in Fairbanks. However, at a certain light angle, the tracks were much more visible.
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“When the sun merges perfectly with these deposits, it’s like they explode,” stated team leader Dustin Stewart of Paleo Solutions. “We were all stunned and scared.” Upon closer inspection, the team realized that the tracks were incredibly detailed. “Are beautiful. See the shape of the fingers and the texture of the skin,” povedal Druckenmiller. The researchers discovered even more tracks layered on the surface of the rock. “It’s not just one level of rock. It’s a sequence in time,” explains Stewart.
In Denali National Park, he said, many dinosaur tracks have been found, but none as extensive as this one. The rock also contains fossilized plants, pollen and molluscs, as well as footprints left by wading birds. Paleontologists hope these findings will help them create a detailed picture of the ecosystem that was here 70 million years ago. “All these little clues add up to a picture of what this environment looked like as a whole,” added Stewart.
2023-09-10 15:30:00
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