By: Ethan Ding

A remarkable discovery was made in Brazil due to torrential rains. Erosion from the heavy rainfall revealed what scientists believe could be the world’s oldest known dinosaur skeletons.

The almost entirely preserved dinosaur fossil was found next to a reservoir in Brazil’s southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul and is estimated to be around 233 million years old. Researchers suspect this ancient creature lived during the Triassic Period, when all of Earth’s continents were part of a single landmass called Pangea, and dinosaurs were just emerging.

*The Quarta Colonia Geopark, the site of the discovery, has yielded rich troves of fossils for two decades but nothing as old as this one. Dating back to the Triassic Era, it is likely the oldest dinosaur ever found – Its age has yet to be peer-reviewed. One Nyasasaurus fossil is said to be 240 million years old, but experts are divided on whether that number is accurate.

The meat-eating dinosaur was about 2.5 meters long and stood on two legs. Some individuals in this group could reach up to five or six meters.

*This discovery is particularly significant because it is one of the oldest dinosaur fossils ever. The oldest known dinosaur fossils date back to around 231 million years ago, making this find potentially one of the earliest examples of dinosaur evolution. The fossil’s excellent preservation allows scientists to study its anatomical details, which could provide new insights into the characteristics and behaviors of early dinosaurs.

Scientists are still wondering how the fossil has been almost perfectly preserved for such a long time.