Antarctica's Inaugural Dinosaur Fossil Unveiled After Discovery

WHO:

ABC News - Study co-author Mike Evans stated, “If he were still with us, he would be delighted to know what this was,” referring to geologist Mike Thomson.

ABC News - Study co-author Paul Barrett is with the Natural History Museum in London.

ABC News - Study co-author Mike Evans is with the British Antarctic Survey.

ABC News - Geologist Mike Thomson collected the fossil during the 1985 expedition.

ABC News - Paleontologist Mark Evans analyzed the bone and confirmed its identification as a dinosaur.

Phys.org - The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) was involved in the discovery of the fossil.

WHAT:

ABC News - The dinosaur fossil was discovered in a drawer after being collected in 1985 and has not yet been identified to a specific species.

ABC News - The dinosaur fossil was discovered in 1985 during an expedition to Antarctica's James Ross Island.

ABC News - The dinosaur was small for its group, measuring about 23 feet (7 meters) long, and may have been young when it died.

ABC News - The findings regarding the fossil were published on a Monday in the journal Acta Palaeontologica Polonica.

ABC News - The dinosaur was approximately 23 feet (7 meters) long and may have been young when it died.

ABC News - The fossil was recorded by Thomson as a large reptile before its identification as a dinosaur.

Phys.org - The fossil is a vertebra from a dinosaur, specifically identified as a titanosaurian sauropod.

BBC News - The fossil is part of the tail of a Titanosaur.

Phys.org - The scientific paper describing the fossil is titled "A titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of Antarctica" and is published in the journal Acta Palaeontologica Polonica.

WHERE:

Phys.org - The fossil was found on the Antarctic continent.

WHEN:

Phys.org - The fossil was collected during a British Antarctic Survey expedition in 1985.

WHY:

ABC News - The region where the dinosaur lived was once populated by lush forests, described as a “rather different and much more hospitable place than we think of today.”

ABC News - The region where the dinosaur lived was once populated by lush forests, contrasting with its current icy conditions.

BBC News - The fossil has only recently been recognized as that of a dinosaur, indicating a delay in its identification.

HOW:

ABC News - The fossil was initially recorded as a large reptile before its identification as a dinosaur was confirmed through analysis of its shape compared to other dinosaur remains.

ABC News - Technology advancements have allowed researchers to peer inside bones for more detailed information about ancient creatures.

Phys.org - The fossil was described scientifically after being recognized as a dinosaur.

(UPDATED June 30, 2026 13:34 UTC)

A recently discovered dinosaur fossil, which was collected back in 1985, has been found in a drawer and remains unidentified to a specific species. The fossil was initially recorded as a large reptile, but its classification as a dinosaur was confirmed after analysis of its shape compared to other dinosaur remains. Study co-author Mike Evans expressed that geologist Mike Thomson would have been delighted to know about this significant find.

(UPDATED June 30, 2026 01:39 UTC)

A recent study published in the journal Acta Palaeontologica Polonica reveals fascinating details about a dinosaur fossil discovered in 1985 on Antarctica's James Ross Island. The dinosaur, measuring about 23 feet long, was small for its group and may have been young at the time of its death, living in a region that was once lush and hospitable. Thanks to advancements in technology, researchers can now peer inside bones, providing deeper insights into these ancient creatures.

(UPDATED June 29, 2026 21:26 UTC)

A dinosaur fossil, originally collected by geologist Mike Thomson during an expedition in 1985, has been confirmed by paleontologist Mark Evans to be a young dinosaur measuring approximately 23 feet long. Initially recorded as a large reptile, the fossil provides insight into a time when the region was filled with lush forests, a stark contrast to its current icy landscape. Thanks to advancements in technology, researchers are now able to examine the insides of bones, revealing more detailed information about these ancient creatures.

(UPDATED June 29, 2026 17:51 UTC)

A significant discovery has been made by the British Antarctic Survey, revealing a vertebra from a titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur, specifically part of the tail of a Titanosaur, found on the Antarctic continent. This fossil, collected during a British Antarctic Survey expedition in 1985, has only recently been recognized as a dinosaur, leading to its scientific description in the journal Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. The paper detailing this remarkable find is titled "A titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of Antarctica."