‘Dinosaur highway’ uncovered near London by quarry worker

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Paleontologists recently discovered lines of strange indentations inside a quarry in England were actually dinosaur footprints from millions of years ago. The discovery was made after a site worker reported “unusual bumps.”

A nearly 500-foot path roamed by the massive prehistoric creatures was discovered in Oxfordshire, near London.

Massive dinosaur tracks were recently discovered in a quarry in England after a worker noticed abnormal texture in the ground. OUMNH

According to experts from the University of Birmingham, the site is believed to date back to the Middle Jurassic period, an estimated 166 million years ago.

“These footprints offer an extraordinary window into the lives of dinosaurs, revealing details about their movements, interactions, and the tropical environment they inhabited,” said researcher Kirsty Edgar.

Researchers spent a week at the site last June to unravel the prehistoric mystery. Seen left to right are: Kirsty Edgar, Richard Butler, Duncan Murdock, Alice Roberts, and Emma Nicholls. University of Birmingham

Most notably, the 30-foot Megalosaurus was one of the highway’s typical commuters.

The gigantic, three-toed carnivore’s line of tracks was seen to have crossed over with those made by several long-necked herbivores known as sauropods in the other four footprint lanes. It raises questions about the beasts’ interactive nature.

“Scientists have known about and been studying Megalosaurus for longer than any other dinosaur on Earth,” said Dr. Emma Nicholls. “And yet these recent discoveries prove there is still new evidence of these animals out there, waiting to be found.”

The paleontology project began after worker Gary Johnson at the Dewars Farm Quarry made an accidental discovery.

Last June, a 100-person team began their week-long excavation, which found about 200 footprints in total.

These new footprints — buried beneath mud — are related to a 1997 discovery in the region. At that time, there were over 40 sets of footprints, some up to nearly 600 feet in length. The 20th-century findings are also believed to contain vital information on the Middle Jurassic period.

At the quarry, over 20,000 images and other 3D renderings were made of the newly found prints. Dr. Duncan Murdock explained that the footprints’ condition is ideal.

“The preservation is so detailed that we can see how the mud was deformed as the dinosaur’s feet squelched in and out,” he said.

“Along with other fossils like burrows, shells and plants we can bring to life the muddy lagoon environment the dinosaurs walked through.”