Conexiant
Login
  • The Analytical Scientist
  • The Cannabis Scientist
  • The Medicine Maker
  • The Ophthalmologist
  • The Pathologist
  • The Traditional Scientist
The Analytical Scientist
  • Explore

    Explore

    • Latest
    • News & Research
    • Trends & Challenges
    • Keynote Interviews
    • Opinion & Personal Narratives
    • Product Profiles
    • App Notes

    Featured Topics

    • Mass Spectrometry
    • Chromatography
    • Spectroscopy

    Issues

    • Latest Issue
    • Archive
  • Topics

    Techniques & Tools

    • Mass Spectrometry
    • Chromatography
    • Spectroscopy
    • Microscopy
    • Sensors
    • Data & AI

    • View All Topics

    Applications & Fields

    • Clinical
    • Environmental
    • Food, Beverage & Agriculture
    • Pharma & Biopharma
    • Omics
    • Forensics
  • People & Profiles

    People & Profiles

    • Power List
    • Voices in the Community
    • Sitting Down With
    • Authors & Contributors
  • Business & Education

    Business & Education

    • Innovation
    • Business & Entrepreneurship
    • Career Pathways
  • Events
    • Live Events
    • Webinars
  • Multimedia
    • Video
Subscribe
Subscribe

False

The Analytical Scientist / Issues / 2025 / Feb / Collagen Detected in 66-Million-Year-Old Dinosaur Fossil
Mass Spectrometry Microscopy Spectroscopy Environmental Forensics Proteomics News and Research

Collagen Detected in 66-Million-Year-Old Dinosaur Fossil

Can proteins survive millions of years of fossilization? A new study of Cretaceous dinosaur fossils challenges long-held beliefs about protein degradation

By Henry Thomas 02/18/2025 1 min read

Share

The fossil is an exceptionally well preserved Edmontosaurus sacrum

Credit: University of Liverpool

An interdisciplinary study led by researchers at the University of Liverpool has revealed new evidence for the presence of endogenous collagen in fossilized dinosaur bones. Using a combination of advanced analytical techniques, the team detected and quantified remnants of collagen from a well-preserved Edmontosaurus sacrum from the Upper Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation in South Dakota.

It was previously thought that collagen, the main structural protein in vertebrate bones, degrades over millions of years. However, the use of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) revealed hydroxyproline, a key collagen-associated amino acid, in acid-digested samples. Bottom-up proteomics further confirmed the presence of specific collagen peptides, matching sequences previously identified in Brachylophosaurus canadensis and Tyrannosaurus rex.

The team used Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to support their results, which revealed a weak carbonyl absorption band indicative of organic residues. Additional tests using cross-polarized light microscopy (XPol) demonstrated birefringence in localized regions of the fossil, which were consistent with the optical properties of collagen-bound bioapatite in fresh bone. The preservation pattern was comparable to artificially degraded modern turkey bone samples, suggesting that some fossilized regions still retained structural collagen remnants.

The findings contribute to the broader discussion on biomolecular preservation in fossils and the potential for ancient protein sequencing, with the study’s lead author Steve Taylor claiming the results “have far-reaching implications,” in a recent press release. 

“Firstly, it refutes the hypothesis that any organics found in fossils must result from contamination. Secondly, it suggests that cross-polarized light microscopy images of fossil bones, collected for a century, should be revisited. These images may reveal intact patches of bone collagen, potentially offering a ready-made trove of fossil candidates for further protein analysis.”

The authors suggest future research will focus on refining detection techniques, exploring the role of diagenetic factors, and testing additional fossil samples to assess the reproducibility of the team’s findings. “This could unlock new insights into dinosaurs – for example revealing connections between dinosaur species that remain unknown.”

Newsletters

Receive the latest analytical science news, personalities, education, and career development – weekly to your inbox.

Newsletter Signup Image

About the Author(s)

Henry Thomas

Deputy Editor of The Analytical Scientist

More Articles by Henry Thomas

False

Advertisement

Recommended

False

False

The Analytical Scientist
Subscribe

About

  • About Us
  • Work at Conexiant Europe
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2025 Texere Publishing Limited (trading as Conexiant), with registered number 08113419 whose registered office is at Booths No. 1, Booths Park, Chelford Road, Knutsford, England, WA16 8GS.