Farmer accidentally discovers fossil of ancient sea monster
Robert Hacon was treating his property for weeds when he stumbled upon a remarkably intact fossil. The five-foot ancient jawbone is believed to have belonged to the Kronosaurus Queenslandicus, a sea creature that lived in Australia 110 million years ago.
Hacon, a cattle farmer from Queensland, Australia, told Australia's ABC News that the fossil was so intact it looked like the animal had died recently. Historians believe the fossil came to the Earth's surface because of a recent drought in the area, which killed the grass above it.
Dr. Timothy Holland, a local paleontologist and curator of the Kronosaurus Korner Museum, believes the fossil is the "most complete Kronosaurus mandible" ever found. After examining the specimen, Holland determined that the reptile died before it reached adulthood and wasn't fully grown.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Holland believes that the fossil will help scientists better understand the ancient predators' appearance, and he's writing a paper about the specimen. The fossil is now on display at the Kronosaurus Korner Museum.
