Dinosaurs, though extinct, is known for its hunting abilities, but to a lesser extent, intelligence. This is partly due to the fact that many species were relatively small brains. Their heads are protected by thick tissues, virtually does not leave much room for gray matter. However, the recent discovery of the first fossilized brain tissues dinosaur calls into question this picture.
Fossilized brain has been discovered on a beach near Bexhill in Sussex, England. It preserved brain tissue of a large herbivorous dinosaur of the type of iguanodon, one of the first identified dinosaur species. Found among the rocks, which were formed during the early Cretaceous period, about 133 million years ago, fossil is endocast (cerebral cavity), which was formed as soon as layers of sediment gradually filled the skull.
Fossils endocast found before, but what is unusual in this sample is the fact that generalizirovanny outer millimeter of brain tissue. Therefore, the fossils preserved some of the structure of the original tissue. Having examined fossils with a scanning electron microscope (this powerful microscope allows us to visualize very small structures), the scientists were able to examine these structures in great detail.
The study was able to detect the meninges, a tough collagen outer membrane protecting the brain. Also the tiny blood vessels preserved in the form of tubes passing through the surface of the sample. There are even hints of deeper tissue, which could form part of the cerebral cortex, the functional part of the brain that contains neurons.
Scientists believe that this level of security was achieved through “pickling” of brain tissue before they are mineralized, probably after the dinosaur died in the acidic body of water with low oxygen content. Soft tissue preserved, with phosphate and iron minerals, and scans CT (computed tomography) showed that the fossils also contain sediments and fragments of leaves, branches and bones.
All together these observations create a picture of a dinosaur, dying decently overgrown, swampy environment. His head was probably buried in the sediment of a river or lake, and the lack of oxygen allowed the brain tissue to mineralizatsiya before they completely disintegrated.
Although the fact that dinosaurs had brains, there is nothing surprising, it’s amazing how they managed to survive for many millions of years. Now that we know that the brain of a dinosaur could be preserved so we will wait for new discoveries of other specimens stored in the same way.
Dinosaurs with bird brain
This sample can also reveal information about the size of a dinosaur brain, which is regarded by some scholars as a rough indicator of their intelligence. The brains of modern reptiles like crocodiles are often surrounded by a dense protective fabrics. Previously, scientists have suggested that brains of the dinosaurs may be similar, and the actual brain tissue is not more than half the volume of the cranium.
However, hardened brain showed that iguanodon protective membrane was only mm thickness. Consequently, the brain of the dinosaur was to take a large part of the skull, as in modern birds. This, in turn, may mean that the iguanodon was a higher intelligence than originally thought. It turns out to have a “bird brain” is not so bad. However, sedimentary rocks crushed the protective layer, making it thinner than he was actually.
Dinosaurs were smarter than we thought
Ilya Hel