Larger than an adult human, a 90 million year old turtle egg

A giant fossilized turtle egg — believed to have been laid by a turtle the length of a fully grown human 90 million years ago — has been found with the embryo inside.

The tennis ball-sized egg, which is protected by an unusually thick outer shell, was found in 2018 by a farmer in China’s Henan Province, who sent it to a university for analysis.

A tennis-ball-sized fossilized turtle egg, containing an almost fully developed embryo, was unearthed in east-central China. Nanhsiungchelyids are an extinct family of land turtles found in Cretaceous deposits in Asia and North America.

The research team, which included scientists from the China University of Geosciences in Wuhan, the Henan Geological Museum and Canada’s Royal Ontario Museum, carried out CT-scans on the egg.

This tennis-ball-sized fossilized turtle egg, containing an almost fully developed embryo, was unearthed in east-central China.

The scans revealed that within the thick fossilized shell, a turtle embryo that was 85 percent developed had been preserved.Further examination revealed that the embryo was probably a member of the Yuchelys nanyangensis species, which went extinct during the Cretaceous period 66 million years ago.

The fossilized find is also believed to be part of the Nanhsiungchelyidae, an extinct family of land turtles from the Cretaceous period that were native to Asia and North America. Such turtles were flat-shelled and lived on dry land, which was unusual at the time, said Darla Zelenitsky, a researcher from Canada’s University of Calgary.

While thousands of dinosaur eggs have been found in Henan Province over the past 30 years, Zelenitsky said they are rarely found in good condition.“In comparison with dinosaur eggs, turtle eggs — especially those with preserved embryos — rarely fossilize because they’re so small and fragile,” she said.

Zelenitskythey said that this egg likely survived because of its unusually thick shell, which the research team measured at 0.07 inches, several times thicker than the eggs of Galapagos turtles at 0.01 inch.

Judging by the size of the shell, the team estimated that it was laid by a turtle with a 5.3-foot-long carapace, meaning that from its neck to its tail, it would have been longer than some humans are tall. Zelenitsky said that part of the shell was broken from the inside, so it’s possible that the embryo tried to hatch but has been trapped in its shell for 90 million years.

Related Posts

Unveiling the Mystery: Frozen Body of Captain Discovered on 18th Century Ghost Ship.hanh

The seas have loпg beeп a soυrce of mystery, with tales of ghost ships captivatiпg imagiпatioпs for ceпtυries. Iп a remarkable aпd chilliпg discovery, aп 18th-ceпtυry ship was receпtly…

The young girl accidentally saw a 2,000,000 year old mammoth bone sticking out of the ground, while walking in a barley field.hanh

Iп aп astoпishiпg twist of fate, a yoυпg girl made a remarkable discovery while takiпg a casυal stroll throυgh a  barley field. What she stυmbled υpoп was…

The Maп Who Tore Apart Cardi B's Family: A Scaпdaloυs RevelatioпRevelatioп.пhaп

The Maп Who Tore Apart Cardi B’s Family: A Scaпdaloυs RevelatioпRevelatioп.пhaп

Stefoп Diggs reportedly hooked υp with Cardi B while she was 8 moпths pregпaпt

Cardi B's Secret Lover: A Scaпdaloυs Affair That Rocked the Mυsic IпdυstryIпdυstry.пhaп

Cardi B’s Secret Lover: A Scaпdaloυs Affair That Rocked the Mυsic IпdυstryIпdυstry.пhaп

Stefoп Diggs reportedly hooked υp with Cardi B while she was 8 moпths pregпaпt

Shockiпg Revelatioп: Chυrch Leaders Spotted at Diddy's Wild Parties.пhaп

Shockiпg Revelatioп: Chυrch Leaders Spotted at Diddy’s Wild Parties.пhaп

Iп a sυrprisiпg twist that has left faпs aпd followers bυzziпg, Seaп “Diddy” Combs has fiпally opeпed υp aboυt the υпexpected atteпdees at his iпfamoυs parties—пoпe other thaп promiпeпt chυrch…

A Glimpse iпto the Lives of the Rich aпd Famoυs: Diddy, Ross, aпd Khaled.пhaп

A Glimpse iпto the Lives of the Rich aпd Famoυs: Diddy, Ross, aпd Khaled.пhaп

Bυckle υp, everyoпe, becaυse we’ve got some jaw-droppiпg footage that’s takeп the iпterпet by storm. Diddy, Rick Ross, aпd DJ Khaled were spotted oп a private jet, aпd it’s igпitiпg a firestorm of…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *