Rock Found in School Declared Fossil Treasure by Scientists

Over twenty years, Australian students passed an unassuming 5-foot-long rock in their school’s entrance hall without realizing its importance. In 2023, when paleontologist Anthony Romilio examined the approximately 200-million-year-old object, he first had to scrape off some discarded chewing gum from the sandstone surface before closely inspecting it.

"I was doubtful, as one might put it, since it's typically not the spot where you search for fossils," Romilio commented regarding educational institutions.

However, Romilio discovered 66 dinosaur tracks on the boulder, which spans roughly 10 square feet, indicating one of the densest collections of dinosaur prints ever recorded in Australia, as stated in a study released this month in the journal. Historical Biology journal Forty-seven dinosaurs crossed over the boulder throughout their lives, with the rock being submerged under shallow water, providing clues about dinosaurs in the Early Jurassic era, a time for which no fossil remains of these creatures have been discovered in Australia, as mentioned by Romilio.

In the early 2000s, geologist Wes Nichols came across a large stone at the Callide Mine located in Queensland, Australia. As miners extract coal by cutting through rock formations, recent examinations of these stones revealed their origins dating back between 174 to 202 million years.

Nichols gave the rock as a gift to his spouse, Di, who instructed sciences at the proximate Biloela State High School, an institution catering to approximately 550 pupils ranging from grade seven through twelve. Several tracks resembling those of dinosaurs could be seen on the stone; however, their importance remained unrecognized.

In 2002, the institution positioned a approximately 330-pound rock atop a pedestal within its entrance hall. At that time, students decorated the walls with a mural featuring dinosaurs, such as a triceratops and another creature. Tyrannosaurus rex .

numerous students and educators navigate around the large rock as they enter the building or head outdoors towards the school’s play area. The space is linked to the principal's office, hence pupils often stay there awaiting their turn to speak with administrative staff.

The specimen was simply resting there unobtrusively in our entrance hall for quite some time now, becoming an integral part of our workspace," explained David Hall, the deputy principal at Biloela State School. "We encounter it daily.

Following Romilio’s disclosure in 2020 about his discovery of dinosaur footprints in a different cavern in Queensland, he received information from citizen scientists He learned about everyday individuals with rudimentary knowledge of science assisting researchers professionally. They informed him that there was a rock formation worthy of examination in Biloela State, according to Romilio.

Romilio said he first drove about 400 miles to the high school in 2021, when he saw the outline of dinosaur footprints on the boulder. But he couldn’t lift the rock to examine it.

Romilio mentioned that his additional dinosaur studies kept him away from the school until 2023. At this time, two plumbers raised the boulder and positioned it on a cushion resting on the floor. Donning gloves, Romilio cleaned off the gum and dusted away the dirt.

He coated the boulder with pink silicone that mimicked its texture and snapped pictures of it to bring back home. Later, Romilio employed 3D imaging and light filters on these images to accentuate the shadows on the boulder. This process revealed numerous three-toed tracks clearly.

"Oh wow, there are so many here," Romilio, who is 55 years old, remembered thinking.

The majority of the tracks measured from three to five inches in length, seemingly pointing towards various directions. Romilio suggested these creatures could have been traversing a river.

Researches concluded that the tracks were part of the ichnospecies. Anomoepus scambus. No remains of the potential species have been found, yet paleontologists relied on fossilized evidence such as footprints and trackways to conclude that the creature was likely a petite, three-toed plant-eater.

Although the students from Biloela State School are thrilled about the newly discovered history of the rock, Deputy Principal Hall mentioned his intention to relocate the boulder to a nearby location where the public can view it.

Perhaps in a more secure location," he suggested, "instead of within a student lounge.