Scientists Rebuilt A Dinosaur Brain

Researchers from the University of Bristol have successfully reconstructed the brain of a dinosaur! The Thecodontosaurus was the size of a large dog in the late Triassic age (about 205 million years ago). Thanks to the help of advanced imaging and 3D modeling techniques, experts are now able to study the dinosaur’s fragile fossils in detail without destroying them:

According to Futurism, experts scanned the interior of a Thecodontosaurus fossil and identified anatomical details about the dinosaur’s brain that had not yet been revealed.

Antonio Ballell, a Ph.D. student at the University of Bristol’s School of Earth Sciences, recently shared his team’s findings in a statement reported by CNN:

“Our analysis of Thecodontosaurus’ brain uncovered many fascinating features, some of which were quite surprising. Whereas its later relatives moved around ponderously on all fours, our findings suggest this species may have walked on two legs and been occasionally carnivorous.

“Our analysis showed parts of the brain associated with keeping the head stable and eyes and gaze steady during movement were well-developed. This could also mean Thecodontosaurus could occasionally catch prey, although its tooth morphology suggests plants were the main component of its diet. It’s possible it adopted omnivorous habits.”

CNN reports that experts also digitally reconstructed the dinosaur’s inner ears, revealing that the Thecodontosaurus had a high hearing frequency and could recognize noises from other animals.