Bernissart fossil site, Paleontological site in Bernissart, Belgium
The Bernissart fossil site is a paleontological location in Belgium where remains of giant Iguanodon reptiles were uncovered in 1878. The fossils lay buried deep within a coal mine and were discovered as around 30 complete skeletons along with countless bone fragments.
In 1878, workers in a coal mine in the region uncovered fossils that would become one of the largest discoveries of dinosaur remains. This find helped scientists establish a new scientific field dedicated to studying extinct animals.
The fossils from this site showed how a single discovery could reshape understanding of extinct reptiles. Finding so many together proved that these massive animals lived and died in groups.
The mine itself is not accessible to visitors today, as it became flooded and the site lies underwater. The excavated skeletons and bones can instead be viewed at the museum in Brussels, where they are on permanent display.
What stands out about this discovery is that so many complete skeletons were found in one location, raising questions about how and why these animals all died at the same time. Scientists continue to work on solving the mystery of this unusual clustering.
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