ThisfossilbecameanimportantcluetoIbrahim’s search.
NizarIbrahimwasinasmalltowninMoroccoin2008.He’sascientistwhostudiesfossils.IbrahimwascollectingfossilsintheSahara.Hewantedtotalktosomelocalfossilhunters.Hehopedtheyhadcluesaboutthefossilshehad found.
AFRICA
Morocco
boxesoffossilsfoundin Morocco
AmanapproachedIbrahim.Hehadalsocollectedsomefossils.Themanhadamustache.Ibrahimdidn’tknowhowimportantthatmustachewould become.
OnefossilcaughtIbrahim’seye.Hethoughtitmightbepartofaspineorarib.Hethoughtitmightbeimportant.So,Ibrahimboughtthefossil.Yearslater,thatfossilwouldleadhimtooneoftheoddestdinosaurs ever!
Ibrahimusedthefossilsthathadbeenfoundtopiecetogetheranunknown dinosaur.
PicturingthePast
Ibrahimusessciencetopiecetogetherthepast.Hestudiesbonesandobservestheirshape.Heasksquestionstoformahypothesis. Thatisanexplanationofhowtheseancientanimals lived.
Ibrahimlooksoutacrossthedesert.Hepictureswhatitlookedlike95millionyearsago.Insteadofsand,heseesriversandswamps.Heseesgiantturtles,hugecrocodiles,andfishthesizeofcars.Heseeslargemeat-eatingdinosaursthatwalkedon land.
SearchingforSpinosaurustookhardworkand perseverance.
IbrahimandteammembersstudypartofthetailofSpinosaurus.
SomethingUrgent
Oneday,IbrahimreceivedamessagefromsomescientistsinItaly.TheydescribedsomefossilstheythoughtIbrahimwouldwantto see.
Theylookedlikethefossilheboughtfromthestrangeryearsago.Theyalsoremindedhimofdrawingsandphotoshe’dseeninabook.Couldtheybeconnected?Hewasstartingtoformanew hypothesis.
ADifferentDinosaur
ThebonesIbrahimrememberedhadbeenfoundbyaGermanscientist.Hehaduncoveredtheminthe Sahara.
Thisdinosaurwasbiggerthan
T. rex.Ithadlongjaws,sharpteeth,andahugesailonitsback.ThescientistnameditSpinosaurus.Butthoseboneshadbeendestroyedlong ago.
IbrahimthoughthisfossilandtheonesinItalymightbefromSpinosaurus.Hehadtofindthatmustached man!