A 200-million-year-old predator reborn through digital reconstruction
In short: Witness how scientists use advanced 3D scanning to resurrect a prehistoric 'sea dragon' from a crumbling cliff face. This look at the ichthyosaur reveals how modern technology uncovers secrets of an apex predator that ruled the oceans during the age of dinosaurs.
Discovered in 2016 by fossil hunter Chris Moore at Lyme Regis, this ichthyosaur—a 'fish lizard'—dates back approximately 200 million years. The creature represents a formidable evolutionary package, combining traits from both reptiles and mammals, such as the ability to regulate body temperature and possess acute eyesight.
The reconstruction explores how these super predators hunted using sensitive prey-detecting organs, impressive teeth, and high speeds. By analyzing evidence from animals globally, researchers aim to determine if this specific find represents a new species of these fearsome marine hunters.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Ancient Sea Dragon Rebuilt in Stunning 3D Scan | Attenborough and the Sea Dragon | BBC Earth Science
- Also: Attenborough and the Sea Dragon ~ About | Nature | PBS
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