As reported by the BBC, Thursday (12/23/2021), a group of scientists announced the discovery of a perfectly preserved dinosaur embryo, almost hatching from its egg in the same position as a chicken.
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The embryo was found in Ganzhou, southern China, and is thought to be at least 66 million years old, according to researchers.
It is believed the embryo was of a toothless theropod dinosaur, or oviraptosaurus, and was named Baby Yingliang.
Researcher Dr Fion Waisum Ma said it was “the best dinosaur embryo ever found in history”.
Researchers say the eggs were probably preserved by a mudslide, which kept them hidden from poachers.
This finding provides researchers with a clearer understanding of the relationship between dinosaurs and modern birds.
The fossils show the embryos in a coiled position known as “tucking”, a behavior commonly observed in birds just before hatching.
“This indicates that similar behavior in modern birds first evolved and originated from their dinosaur ancestors,” Dr Ma told AFP news agency.
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