High-tech scanning device allows researchers to see inside
As kids, we grow up and learn about dinosaurs, how they lived, how they died, and some of us even daydream about seeing what a dinosaur actually looks like. How they develop, what they look like as babies, and other questions that seem so mysterious.
A group of researchers had these same questions, there is only so much information you can get from studying the outside of fossils. A researcher can speculate on certain things and guess the answers to specific questions, but there is no real way of knowing until you are fully able to observe the bones in high definition. But how can a researcher do that?
What technology they used
This is where 3D laser scanning comes in, researchers were able to use this technology to finally see the inside of a dinosaur egg. They could fully see the baby dinosaur and study it bone by bone virtually. They used a high-tech 3D laser scanning device called synchrotron scanning.
Though this device allowed the researchers to go deeper and learn more about these ancient animals that wandered the earth. It was an incredibly long process. This 3D laser scanning device allowed them to get detailed information at a cellular level.
The scanner had to scan each bone and pull it one by one virtually. This required the team to be up 24 hours a day and take turns eating and sleeping. Every second, the 3D laser scanning equipment had to be watched to get the most accurate information.
Though this process is a long one, it is relatively faster and far more accurate than other ways of collecting this information. It also brings absolutely no harm to the dinosaur egg. For this reason, 3D laser scanning is one of the best tools that researchers can acquire.
What did the researchers find
This specific dinosaur egg was found in Golden Gate Highlands National Park located in Africa. From virtually extracting the bones, these researchers found out that the dinosaurs grew and developed in their eggs a lot like our modern reptiles. The theory had been floating around for some time. However, no one could prove it or back it up until now.
The researchers found that the dinosaur was only 60% developed. Though from the outside prints, it looked as if it were ready to start walking out of the egg. They found that the dinosaurs had two different sets of teeth closely similar to what an alligator might have.
What 3D laser scanning means for the future
This incredible technology has made it so we can dig deeper into history and find actual facts that back up our theories. 3D laser scanning allows us to go back in time further than we have ever been able to go, and the best part is it doesn’t harm any of the artifacts being studied.
This will allow us to learn more and interact with history differently. 3D laser scanning enables us to understand objects on a cellular level, which could never be done in the past. It is accurate and precise, giving us exact details on what we are studying. When we understand how ancient creatures developed, we start to truly understand evolution.
