Fossilised faeces hold clues to how dinosaurs ruled the planet

December 11, 2024 11:11 PM

Fossilised faeces hold clues to how dinosaurs ruled the planet. Using hundreds of samples of fossilised faeces, vomit and intestinal contents, alongside bones and footprints, researchers traced the rise of the dinosaurs over millions of years.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries (8 comments total)

I had to look up: "fossilized vomit: called regurgitalite and is a type of bromalite" but for my troubles got this nice back of the envelope cartoon calculation, about an impactful study on dino barf.
posted by rubatan at 11:28 PM on December 11 [1 favorite]

That’s a lot of poo!
posted by Captaintripps at 4:25 AM on December 12

Hmmm taking advantage of wide scale extinctions and rapid climate change… I’m worried the birds are just sitting there, waiting to end this short-lived mammal usurpation and reclaim the throne for the dinosaurs?

You heard it first on Metafilter folks, birds are the real culprits behind climate change!!
posted by caution live frogs at 6:06 AM on December 12

🎶Dino poo, dino poo
Preserves the things a dino chew.
Fossilizes in the ground;
Then by scientists it is found.
Look out! Here comes dino poo!🎶
posted by GenjiandProust at 6:46 AM on December 12 [4 favorites]

Nicely polished coprolite jewelry can be quite a conversation starter...
posted by jim in austin at 8:00 AM on December 12 [1 favorite]

Yes, that is oddly fascinating in a sort of dinos-birds-owls sort of thing.

The best part of the article is the little dromaeosaurid dinosaurs scattering out of the way.

Nicely polished coprolite jewelry can be quite a conversation starter...

Pro tip, make sure you're using authentic coprolite. The fresh stuff is hard to polish nicely.
posted by BlueHorse at 11:42 AM on December 12 [2 favorites]

The fresh stuff is hard to polish nicely.

Hard, but possible.
posted by Joey Michaels at 2:48 PM on December 12

Not impossible at all!
posted by asavage at 11:32 PM on December 12