Amber is so last century.
Fossilized remains have been found preserved in plenty of different materials — from amber to ice to plain old rock. But the bones of a newly-identified species of dinosaur have perhaps the most glamorous treatment: They were discovered preserved in opal.
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The bones were found all together, which indicates that the four individuals — one adult and three juveniles — may have been part of a herd or a family, Gizmodo explained.
Besides the excitement of finding bones that shimmer like precious stones, the new species "fills in a glaring gap in our understanding of duck-billed dinosaur evolution," said Terry Gates, a paleontologist not involved with the study.
"It's an exciting time for dinosaur lovers everywhere," said Phil Bell, the paleontologist who led the study. Read more at CNN.
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