Dinosaur Footprints from 166 Million Years Ago Unearthed in England
Dinosaur footprints discovered in England, both herbivorous and carnivorous, dating back 166 million years, forming a long trail. They are believed to belong to very large dinosaurs.
England has uncovered multiple dinosaur footprints—belonging to both herbivores and carnivores—dating back 166 million years, forming a trail that suggests these creatures were massive in size.
According to reports from international news outlets, paleontologists discovered peculiar depressions at a quarry in Oxford, England. These indentations were later confirmed to be dinosaur footprints from millions of years ago. The discovery was made after workers at the site noticed an unusual number of ridges and pits.
Dubbed the “Dinosaur Highway,” a nearly 500-foot-long trail filled with traces of these prehistoric giants was uncovered in Oxfordshire, near London. Experts from the University of Birmingham believe this significant find sheds light on the Middle Jurassic period, approximately 166 million years ago.
Starting in the summer of 2024, over 100 scientists, students, and volunteers will participate in the excavation of the quarry. Gary Johnson, who first discovered the footprints while operating a digger, recounted, “I was just clearing clay when I hit something unusual. At first, I thought it was just uneven ground, but then I noticed similar depressions spaced about 3 meters apart.”
Because dinosaur footprints had been discovered nearby in the 1990s, Johnson quickly realized these depressions might also be tracks. He remarked, “I believe I’m the first person to see these footprints. It’s surreal and a bit daunting.”
The BBC reported that the research team identified five footprints in total. Four of them belonged to Cetiosaurus, a four-legged herbivorous dinosaur that could grow up to 18 meters long. The tracks, massive in size, were found overlapping with a smaller, three-toed carnivorous dinosaur known as Megalosaurus, a swift, two-legged predator.
Dr. Emma Nicholls stated, “Scientists have studied Megalosaurus for longer than any other dinosaur, yet these findings prove there is still much to learn about these creatures.”
Currently, the longest section of the discovered footprints measures up to 150 meters, with the potential for further extension as excavation continues. Kirsty Edgar, a paleontologist from the University of Birmingham, remarked, “These are some of the most remarkable tracks I’ve ever seen, in terms of both size and preservation. You can almost picture these enormous creatures roaming the area.”
Richard Butler, another paleontologist from the University of Birmingham, added, “Dinosaur footprints—or entire tracks—offer unique insights into these animals’ lives. They reveal how they moved and the environments they inhabited, details that cannot be discerned from fossilized bones alone. While the exact reason these tracks were preserved remains unclear, it might be due to storms depositing sediments that protected them.”
