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(CNN) – It may have been an eternal battle in ancient Montana.
About 67 million years ago, two iconic dinosaurs, a Triceratops horridus and a Tyrannosaurus rex, died and were quickly buried side by side in a single tomb. And they both have battle scars. It’s the kind of showdown that scientists have speculated about for years, but until now it has only appeared in the “Jurassic Park” games.
The strikingly complete skeletons of these “dinosaurs in battle” will be exhibited and studied at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in 2022, the museum announced Tuesday. The museum is located in downtown Raleigh.
The Triceratops fossil was first discovered in 2006 when it was eroded by the sedimentary rock of the Hell Creek formation. This 65.5-million-year-old rock formation was named after Hell Creek near Jordan in Montana. The Late Cretaceous fossil hoard extends over parts of Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
The remains of a Tyrannosaurus rex also slightly overlapped those of the Triceratops. Both were extracted from the rock formation, plastered, and safely stored until they could be studied.
They are some of the most complete dinosaur skeletons ever found. Additionally, the researchers believe the Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton is the only 100% complete T. rex fossil.
The T. rex portion of the double fossil discovery shows what appears to be a juvenile dinosaur.
Both skeletons are also articulated which means all bones have been preserved in their correct order. It is rare to find an articulated fossil, and this discovery includes two.
A cold old case
While the fossils are still trapped in the sedimentary rock, what you see tells an intriguing story.
So far, an analysis of the Triceratops fossil has revealed real skin prints on its signature ruffle and hips. Tyrannosaurus teeth are embedded in its spinal column. But the arms of the Triceratops are not visible. Researchers aren’t sure if they were simply encased in stone beneath his body or if they were looted by other dinosaurs before the Triceratops was buried.
The fossils show skin imprints.
They also want to know if the stomach contents have been preserved. If so, they may know your last meal.
Tyrannosaurus rex had most of its teeth broken; he also has a broken finger and his skull is split open. The researchers want to find out if all this damage occurred during a possible battle with the Triceratops, or if it was post mortem injuries.
The Tyrannoraurus rex fossil also has a skin print on its foot, which researchers say is remarkably similar to that of a modern emu.
The museum is building a new laboratory, the SECU DinoLab, to house the fossils when they are exhibited in 2022. It will also be a hub for scientists studying fossils. The exhibition is expected to be open to the public for five years.
The T. rex skull shows signs of broken teeth.
Some of the other questions researchers want to answer about fossils include determining whether the molecules are preserved in the skin imprints and whether the tyrannosaurus fossil shows signs of feathers. Scientists would also like to identify if it was an adolescent tyrannosaurus rex and find out more details about the triceratops’ steering wheel.
And they obviously want to know how the dinosaurs died and if they were locked in a duel beforehand.
Since the fossils are still buried in the sediments, their body contours and skin and soft tissue impressions remain. These details are often lost when the fossils are fully excavated in the field.
“We have not yet studied this specimen; it is a scientific frontier. Conservation is phenomenal and we plan to use all available technological innovations to reveal new insights into the biology of T. rex and Triceratops. This fossil will forever change our view of the world’s two favorite dinosaurs, ”Lindsay Zanno, chief of paleontology at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and associate research professor at North Carolina State University, said in a statement.
The T. rex had sharp crescent-shaped claws.
“The way we designed the whole experience, inviting the public to follow scientific discoveries in real time and participate in research, will set a new standard for museums.”
Donate dinosaurs
The famous pair of dinosaurs were donated to the museum Tuesday by friends of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. The non-profit organization acquired the fossils using private funds provided by the support of a large number of foundations.
“It is an immeasurable honor to welcome these specimens as they establish permanent residence here at the Museum,” said Jason Barron, president of the Friends of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. «The duel of the dinosaurs is a singular discovery; we are incredibly grateful to our fans for making this a reality and for allowing our visitors, both in person and virtual, to experience this journey with us.
The exhibition will also promote the museum’s paleontological research and educational programs.
“The Museum is delighted to have the unique opportunity to host and investigate one of the most important paleontological discoveries of our time,” said Eric Dorfman, director and CEO of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, in a statement. “Not only can we uncover unknown details of the anatomy and behavior of these animals, but our new dedicated facilities and educational programs will allow us to interact with the public locally, throughout North Carolina and around the world.”
SECU DinoLab will offer visitors the opportunity to observe researchers as they study the fossils and also talk to the paleontology team.
And for those at home, the lab will share research updates and live videos to learn more about the results in real time.
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