Michigan man unearths 10,000-year-old mastodon bones in backyard

(Image credit: Twitter)

When Daniel LaPoint Jr. started contract work on his neighbor's backyard, he was shocked to discover what he believed were dinosaur bones buried in the dirt.

After contacting experts about the find, LaPoint learned that the 42 bones weren't from a dinosaur, but an Ice Age mastodon. Mastodons, distant relatives of elephants, lived more than 10,000 years ago and weighed up to five tons.

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Meghan DeMaria

Meghan DeMaria is a staff writer at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Marie Claire.