U. of C.’s Paul Sereno helps uncover new Spinosaurus species in Sahara

UChicago Paleontologists Discover New Spinosaurus Species in Central Sahara

When UChicago paleontologist Paul Sereno set out for the central Sahara in 2019, following clues from a decades-old report—a fossilized tooth and a dot on a map—he did not expect the expedition to culminate in the discovery of a new dinosaur species. But for Sereno, the discovery was just the latest in a long career uncovering prehistoric life. “I’ve found so many dinosaurs that I don’t find them anymore—they find me,” Sereno said. A paper publi…

U. of C.’s Paul Sereno helps uncover new Spinosaurus species in Sahara

Paul Sereno, a University of Chicago paleontologist, and his team were in the heart of the Sahara Desert in 2019 when they came across scattered teeth — fossils from some kind of dinosaur. They began picking up the pieces.