Scientists introduce exotic horned dinosaur dubbed 'Hellboy'
Everyone, say hello to Hellboy.
Geologists first discovered the dinosaur's fossilized skull along Alberta's Oldman River in 2005, Reuters reports. The skull took some time to extract, though, as it was stuck tight within the limestone riverbank. Paleontologists are fascinated by the finally-freed skull, which features stubby, exotic horns around the facial area of the fossil.
Officially named Regaliceratops peterhewsi ("royal horned face" combined with the name of the geologist who discovered the skull, Peter Hews), "Hellboy" soon became the newly identified dinosaur's unofficial moniker due to its resemblance to the comic book character.
Subscribe to 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.
"This new animal is definitely one of the weirdest horned dinosaurs," Caleb Brown of the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology told Reuters. "How weird it is really only becomes fully apparent when you compare it to its close relatives, in which case it stands out like a sore thumb."
Poor Hellboy, still being singled out 68 million years after his entombment.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Sarah Eberspacher is an associate editor at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked as a sports reporter at The Livingston County Daily Press & Argus and The Arizona Republic. She graduated from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.
-
Bob Woodward's War: the explosive Trump revelations
In the spotlight Nobody can beat Watergate veteran at 'getting the story of the White House from the inside'
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Keir Starmer's first 100 days: how did they go?
Today's big question Honeymoon period dominated by rows over gifts and infighting but there are 'signs of a progressive philosophy emerging'
By The Week UK Published
-
The Week Unwrapped: Are pig-butchering scams taking over the world?
Podcast Plus, could discarded gadgets solve the copper shortage? And will employers hire more over-50s?
By The Week Staff Published
-
Detailed map of fly's brain holds clues to human mind
Speed Read This remarkable fruit fly brain analysis will aid in future human brain research
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Blind people will listen to next week's total eclipse
Speed Read While they can't see the event, they can hear it with a device that translates the sky's brightness into music
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Melting polar ice is messing with global timekeeping
Speed Read Ice loss caused by climate change is slowing the Earth's rotation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
An amphibian that produces milk?
speed read Caecilians, worm-like amphibians that live underground, produce a milk-like substance for their hatchlings
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Jupiter's Europa has less oxygen than hoped
speed read Scientists say this makes it less likely that Jupiter's moon harbors life
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Why February 29 is a leap day
Speed Read It all started with Julius Caesar
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US spacecraft nearing first private lunar landing
Speed Read If touchdown is successful, it will be the first U.S. mission to the moon since 1972
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Scientists create 'meaty' rice for eco-friendly protein
Speed Read Korean scientists have invented a new hybrid food, consisting of beef muscle and fat cells grown inside grains of rice
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published