ThisfossilbecameanimportantcluetoIbrahim’s search.
NizarIbrahimwasinasmalltowninMoroccoin2008.He’sascientistwhostudiesfossils—apaleontologist.He’salsoaNationalGeographic Explorer.
HehadjustfinishedcollectingfossilsinthenearbySahara.Hewantedtotalktosomelocalfossilhunters.Perhaps,theyhadfossilsthatmightprovidecluestotheoneshehad found.
AFRICA
Morocco
boxesoffossilsfoundin Morocco
Ibrahimwasapproachedbyamanwhohadaboxoffossilshehadcollected.Themanhadamustache.Ibrahimdidn’tknowhowimportantthatmustachewouldlater become.
Onefossilcaughttheexplorer’seye.Itwaslongandflat.Hethoughtthatitmightbepartofaspineorarib.Hethoughtitmightbeimportant,soIbrahimboughtthe box.
Yearslater,thatfossilwouldleadhimonajourney.Hewoulddiscoveroneoftheoddestdinosaursthatever lived.
Ibrahimusedthefossilsthathadbeenfoundtopiecetogetheranunknown dinosaur.
PicturingthePast
Ibrahimusesthescientificprocesstopiecetogetherthepast.Hestudiesbonesand observestheirshape.Whereweretheyfound?Whatpartoftheanimaldidtheycomefrom?Heasksquestionstoformahypothesis, orexplanation,forhowtheseancientanimalsusedto live.
WhenIbrahimlooksoutacrosstheSahara,hepictureswhatitlookedlike95millionyearsago.Insteadofsand,heseesriversandswamps.Thereweregiantturtles,hugecrocodiles,andfishthesizeofcars.Threeoftheworld’slargestmeat-eatingdinosaurswalkedon land.
SearchingforSpinosaurustookhardworkand perseverance.
IbrahimandteammembersstudypartofthetailofSpinosaurus.
SomethingUrgent
Oneday,IbrahimreceivedamessagefromsomepaleontologistsinItaly.TheydescribedsomefossilstheythoughtIbrahimwouldwantto see.
Whenhearrived,severalfossilswerelaidoutforhim.Thelong,flatboneswereinthebasementofamuseum.TheywerethoughttohavecomefromMorocco.Theylookedlikethefossilheboughtfromthestrangeryears ago.
ThesebonesremindedIbrahimofsomethingelse,too.Asachild,hehadseendrawingsandphotosofadinoinabook.Couldtheybeconnected?Hewasstartingtoformanew hypothesis.
ADifferentDinosaur
ThebonesIbrahimrememberedfromthebookhadbeendiscoveredbyaGermanscientist.Hehaduncoveredthesebonesinthe Sahara.
ThisdinosaurwasbiggerthanT. rex.Ithadlongjaws,sharpcone-shapedteeth,andahugesailonitsback.ThescientistnameditSpinosaurus.
Onlytwopartialskeletonshadeverbeenfound.BothweredestroyedduringWorldWarII.Onlynotesandoldphotos remained.
IbrahimthoughthisfossilandtheonesinItalymightbefromSpinosaurus.Hehadtofindthatmustached-man!