Moléculas orgânicas detectadas em ossos de dinossauro de 66 milhões de anos

14 de maio de 2026

Reportado por IA

Cientistas identificaram vestígios de colágeno original em um fóssil de Edmontosaurus de Dakota do Sul. A descoberta, publicada em 2025, desafia a crença de que todo material biológico é perdido durante a fossilização.

Pesquisadores da Universidade de Liverpool examinaram um osso sacro de 22 quilos de um fóssil de Edmontosaurus recuperado na Formação Hell Creek. Usando espectrometria de massa, sequenciamento de proteínas e outras técnicas laboratoriais, eles detectaram remanescentes de colágeno, a principal proteína no tecido ósseo. Colegas da UCLA confirmaram a presença de hidroxiprolina, um aminoácido ligado ao colágeno, fortalecendo o argumento de que as moléculas se originaram do próprio dinossauro, em vez de contaminação moderna.

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