Scientists have identified traces of original collagen in an Edmontosaurus fossil from South Dakota. The finding, published in 2025, challenges the belief that all biological material is lost during fossilization.
Researchers at the University of Liverpool examined a 22-kilogram sacrum bone from an Edmontosaurus fossil recovered in the Hell Creek Formation. Using mass spectrometry, protein sequencing and other laboratory techniques, they detected remnants of collagen, the main protein in bone tissue. Colleagues at UCLA confirmed the presence of hydroxyproline, an amino acid linked to collagen, strengthening the case that the molecules originated from the dinosaur itself rather than modern contamination.