A Stash of Leathery Dinosaur Eggs Tells Us About the Origins of the Giant Reptiles

A dramatic discovery of a new dinosaur in China shows how early dinosaurs in the Jurassic Period reproduced. Researchers uncover how bird eggs evolved, too.

By Matt Hrodey
Nov 16, 2023 4:30 PM
Dino nest
The new dinosaur likely covered its eggs with plants or other material. (Credit: NICE Vistudio)

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The discovery of a new dinosaur found within 10 feet of its fossilized eggs is shedding light on how early reptiles reproduced and the evolution of the egg.

Qianlong shouhu, which means “Guizhou dragon guarding,” lived during the early Jurassic Period some 190 million years ago, when it was an early precursor to immense sauropod dinosaurs such as the brontosaurus. Q. shouhu, however, was not so large and weighed a mere ton and measured about 20 feet long. Also unlike brontosaurus, it walked on its two hind legs, a stance probably not shared by its young.

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