Crystal-Filled Dinosaur Eggs Discovered in China Reveal Rare Fossilization Process
Scientists in China have uncovered two Late Cretaceous dinosaur eggs filled not with bones or embryos, but with sparkling calcite crystals, offering rare insight into ancient fossilization conditions and environmental chemistry.
Key Facts:
• The eggs were discovered in the Qianshan Basin, eastern China, and date back over 70 million years.
• Each egg measures approximately 13–14 cm in diameter and is nearly spherical in shape.
• Instead of organic remains, the interior is filled with calcium carbonate (calcite) crystals, formed long after burial.
• Researchers identified a new oospecies named Shixingoolithus qianshanensis based on the eggshell’s microstructure.
• Scientists believe mineral-rich groundwater seeped into the buried eggs, allowing crystals to slowly grow over millions of years.
Expert Insight:
Paleontologists say this extremely rare preservation process provides valuable clues about ancient groundwater systems, burial environments, and how delicate dinosaur eggs can fossilize in unexpected ways.
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