Science
Researchers claim possible fossilised red blood cells in 115m-year-old dinosaur bone
The Guardian reports that researchers led by Prof Kliti Grice claim to have found fossilised red blood cells in a Brazilian dinosaur, but an outside expert disputes the identification.
The short version
- Researchers led by Prof Kliti Grice at Curtin University claim fossilised red blood cells in an Aratasaurus's hind leg bones.[The Guardian]
- Electron microscopy showed small round structures resembling red blood cells, and chemical tests detected heme in the 115-million-year-old Brazilian fossil.[The Guardian]
- Prof Mary Schweitzer is not convinced the structures are red blood cells, so the identification remains contested.[The Guardian]
Key facts
- Researchers claim to have found fossilised red blood cells and traces of heme in hind leg bones of an Aratasaurus that lived in north-eastern Brazil 115 million years ago.[The Guardian]
- Electron microscopy showed small, round structures resembling red blood cells in channels where blood vessels once ran, and chemical tests detected heme.[The Guardian]
- Prof Kliti Grice of Curtin University says fossilised red blood cells with heme-related chemistry have never before been found in situ in any fossil.[The Guardian]
- Prof Mary Schweitzer of North Carolina State University is not convinced the structures are red blood cells, noting they are concave rather than bulging where the nucleus would sit.[The Guardian]
What remains uncertain
- Whether the structures are red blood cells is disputed; Schweitzer says the concave shape suggests they may be another material.[The Guardian]
- The 'world first' characterization comes from the researchers themselves, and the reporting cites no independent confirmation of the findings.[The Guardian]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.