RIO DE JANEIRO — Scientists analyzing the fossilized hind leg bone of a small, carnivorous dinosaur have identified what appear to be preserved red blood cells and chemical traces of heme, the organic compound that enables blood to carry oxygen.
The discovery centers on Aratasaurus, a theropod dinosaur that inhabited what is now north-eastern Brazil approximately 115 million years ago during the Cretaceous period. According to researchers, chemical testing confirmed the presence of heme within the ancient skeletal remains.
While the findings offer unprecedented insights into the physiological makeup of prehistoric creatures, scientists emphasize that the breakthrough involves molecular and cellular preservation rather than viable genetic material, keeping the discovery firmly in the realm of paleontology rather than science fiction.
