Reconstruction of a dinosaur chase

dinosaur, footprint, Royal Veterinary College, sauropod, therapod, photogrammetryScientists from the Royal Vetinary College have been able to recreate the steps taken by two dinosaurs by digitally reconstructing the event using photographs from 73 years ago.

The original images were taken by American palaeontologist Roland T Bird, but the actual site has since been destroyed. However, using a method called photogrammetry, the team were able to build up a representation of the site.

The footsteps were of two dinosaurs, a sauropod and a theropod, the latter a carnivore whose eating habits, as well as the fact that its footprints were on top of the sauropod’s, hinted that it was the one doing the chasing.

The photogrammetry technique involves scanning the images into a computer and creating a composite image from the data available. The reconstruction was a breakthrough for scientists who are looking to recover data from lost sites.