The fossilized egg, believed to date back more than 70 million years, was unearthed on October 7 by a team of Argentinian paleontologists who were stunned by its near-pristine condition.
The discovery took place near the Rio Negro in General Roca, Patagonia, and was led by a team from Argentina’s Museum of Natural Sciences. Their excitement was obvious during a livestream announcement, where the group celebrated what they described as a once-in-a-lifetime discovery.
“We’ve never seen anything like it, we’ve never seen an egg so well preserved.”
Aside from faint markings across its oval surface, the egg looked astonishingly new, making it one of the most remarkable fossil discoveries in recent years due to how well it’s been preserved.
Once the discovery was announced, people around the world couldn’t contain their excitement. Many shared their reactions online, with social media quickly filling with posts comparing the find to scenes from Jurassic Park.
One user on X, formerly known as Twitter, wrote: “DINO NEWS FLASH! whole dinosaur egg found. We’re one step closer to getting an actual real Jurassic Park?!”
Experts believe the egg likely came from a member of the bonapartenykus genus, a group of long-legged, bipedal carnivorous dinosaurs that roamed Patagonia during the late Cretaceous period.
In the same excavation site, scientists also uncovered fossils of other reptiles and ancient mammals, suggesting that the area may have once been a nesting ground millions of years ago.
“The happiness was spectacular for the team.”
He went on to explain that discoveries like this are extremely rare, especially because eggs from carnivorous dinosaurs tend to be very fragile and rarely survive long enough to fossilize.
As for whether this could bring us one step closer to a real-life Jurassic Park, scientists are staying cautious but curious. The team plans to scan the egg to determine if any embryonic material still remains inside.
Muñoz added: “An embryo is a very delicate animal, and its preservation is more complex. Although the egg was preserved complete, we don’t know if the embryo was there and died, or if it was an egg that didn’t have an embryo.”
Once all tests are complete, the egg will be carefully preserved and later put on display at a local museum in Patagonia, allowing the public to see the extraordinary find up close.
