Scientists find actual blood molecules in dino fossils

Technology Sep 23, 2025

Scientists have uncovered actual 66-million-year-old blood molecules inside fossils from T. rex and Brachylophosaurus canadensis.
The big deal? They found "heme," the stuff that makes blood red, supporting the idea that these are real dino leftovers—not modern contamination.
This could totally change how we think about what survives in fossils.

The heme was stuck to a mineral called goethite

The researchers checked the fossils against ostrich bones and human blood to make sure nothing modern snuck in.
Turns out, the heme was stuck to a mineral called goethite, which helps preserve proteins for millions of years.
This discovery opens up new ways to study ancient life—right down to its molecules!