BIGGEST DINOSAUR EVER- DISCOVERED

Researches say they have found the biggest dinosaur ever, in a desert near La Patagonia, Argentina. They have found fossilised bones of a dinosaur and they believe it has been the largest creature ever to walk the Earth.

Based on the fact of  its huge bones, it was 40m long and 20m tall. Researches measured the diameter of load-bearing bones like the femur and humerus and they were able to estimate the size and weight of the dinosaurs. This massive dinosaur was as heavy as 14 African elephants, 77 tones. It’s even seven tonnes heavier than the previous dinosaur discovered, Argentinosaurus.  

But this  gigantic dinosaur was a herbivore. It belonged to the sauropod group of dinasours, which are charasterised by their small heads, thick, pillar-like legs, and long necks and tails. But this one, is twice as long and four times as heavy. Researchers are even classifyng it as a new species of Titanosaur !

Based on the age of the rocks, researchers have conlcuded that this giant hervibore lived in Patagonia forests abour 95 and 100 millions years ago.

They found about  150 bones in total all in "remarkable condition". The dinasour fossils were excavated by a team of palaeotologists , led by Dr Jose Luis Carballido and Dr Diego.

“Such dimensions put the focus on the extent to which these animals may have grown. It's a real paleontological treasure,"says José Luis Carballido

The dinosaurs were found very close together along with a number of carnivorous dinosaurs. So, basically  it is believed that they may have died during a drought. Researches suggest  it could be possible that they died of dehydration or became stuck in the mud. Further analysis of the suggests that the area was different to how it looks today. Rather than a dry, arid land, it is likely that there were trees and and a wide variety of plant-life.

This was written by Paula Palacios, 3rd ESO Combined Science