- KR Bharat
- 2025-09-24
Dinosaur Bones Reveal Deadly Disease in Brazil
A collection of fossilized bones from sauropods (the long-necked dinosaurs) discovered in the municipality of Ibirá, São Paulo, Brazil, shows that these ancient animals were vulnerable to a deadly bone disease in the region.
With support from FAPESP, researchers examined the fossils of six individuals dating to the Cretaceous period, about 80 million years ago, and identified evidence of osteomyelitis. This condition, which can be triggered by bacteria, viruses, fungi, or protozoa, leaves distinctive marks in bone tissue.
The fossils revealed no signs of recovery, indicating the dinosaurs died while the disease was still active and may have succumbed to it. The research was published in The Anatomical Record.
