US museum finds 67-million-year-old dinosaur fossil under asphalt

In January 2025, a geothermal test drilling project beneath the Denver Museum of Nature and Science’s parking lot unexpectedly uncovered a partial dinosaur fossil buried 763 feet underground. Radiometric dating identified the vertebra as belonging to a herbivorous ornithopod dinosaur, such as Thescelosaurus or Edmontosaurus, from approximately 67.5 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period. This discovery marks the deepest and oldest dinosaur fossil ever found within Denver city limits, providing a rare glimpse into the prehistoric ecosystem that existed just before the mass extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs. The find was hailed as both scientifically and historically significant by museum experts, who described it as an extraordinary and rare occurrence, especially given it was uncovered during a drilling project aimed at assessing geothermal energy potential. Supported by a $250,000 grant from Colorado’s Geothermal Energy Grant Program, the project is part of a broader state initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by exploring sustainable energy alternatives. The