Zavasephale Rinpoche
Masaya Hattori
Meet the fascinating Zavasephale Rinpoche, a dome-headed dinosaur from Mongolia, dating back 108 million years. This remarkable creature is the oldest of its kind, with paleontologists describing its fossilized skull resembling a “cabochon gem.” While related species can grow up to 4 meters and weigh 400 kilograms, this juvenile measured around 1 meter in length and weighed approximately 6 kilograms.
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<img class="Image" alt="Spicomerus afar" width="1350" height="834" src="https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/05151921/SEI_276787454.jpg" srcset="https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/05151921/SEI_276787454.jpg?width=300 300w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/05151921/SEI_276787454.jpg?width=400 400w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/05151921/SEI_276787454.jpg?width=500 500w" sizes="(min-width: 1288px) 837px, (min-width: 1024px) calc(57.5vw + 55px)" loading="lazy" data-image-context="Article" data-image-id="2507371" data-caption="Spicomerus afar" data-credit="Matthew Dempsey"/>
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<p class="ArticleImageCaption__Title">Spicomerus afar</p>
<p class="ArticleImageCaption__Credit">Matthew Dempsey</p>
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<p>Scientists recently examined 165 million-year-old fossils from Morocco, leading to the identification of <em>Spicomerus afar</em>, a heavily armored dinosaur with a striking appearance. According to <a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/people/susannah-maidment.html">Suzanna Maidment</a> from the Natural History Museum, the unique features of this dinosaur led her team to describe it as "baroque."</p>
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<img class="Image" alt="Duonyx tsogtbatari" width="1350" height="964" src="https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/05151923/SEI_276787580.jpg" srcset="https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/05151923/SEI_276787580.jpg?width=300 300w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/05151923/SEI_276787580.jpg?width=400 400w" sizes="(min-width: 1288px) 837px, (min-width: 1024px) calc(57.5vw + 55px)" loading="lazy" data-image-context="Article" data-image-id="2507372" data-caption="Duonyx tsogtbatari" data-credit="Masato Hattori"/>
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<p class="ArticleImageCaption__Title">Duonyx tsogtbatari</p>
<p class="ArticleImageCaption__Credit">Masato Hattori</p>
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<p>The 90-million-year-old <em>Duonyx tsogtbatari</em>, found in the Gobi Desert, might remind you of Edward Scissorhands due to its bipedal stance and two elongated fingers. These fingers, each equipped with massive claws measuring up to 30 centimeters, were likely used to grasp branches for feeding.</p>
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<img class="Image" alt="Sri Rapax" width="1350" height="900" src="https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/05151928/SEI_276787719.jpg" srcset="https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/05151928/SEI_276787719.jpg?width=300 300w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/05151928/SEI_276787719.jpg?width=400 400w" sizes="(min-width: 1288px) 837px, (min-width: 1024px) calc(57.5vw + 55px)" loading="lazy" data-image-context="Article" data-image-id="2507373" data-caption="Sri Rapax" data-credit="Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels"/>
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<p class="ArticleImageCaption__Title">Sri Rapax</p>
<p class="ArticleImageCaption__Credit">Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels</p>
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<p>If you’re a fan of <em>Jurassic Park</em>, be wary of the <em>Sri Rapax</em>. This dinosaur, discovered in the Gobi Desert, features menacing claws and was likely one of the fiercest predators during its time, 75 to 71 million years ago, hunting in sprawling deserts and lakes.</p>
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<img class="Image" alt="Baminornis zhenghensis" width="1350" height="900" src="https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/05151936/SEI_276787651.jpg" srcset="https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/05151936/SEI_276787651.jpg?width=300 300w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/05151936/SEI_276787651.jpg?width=400 400w" sizes="(min-width: 1288px) 837px, (min-width: 1024px) calc(57.5vw + 55px)" loading="lazy" data-image-context="Article" data-image-id="2507374" data-caption="Baminornis zhenghensis" data-credit="ZHAO Chuang"/>
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<p class="ArticleImageCaption__Title">Baminornis zhenghensis</p>
<p class="ArticleImageCaption__Credit">Zhao Chuang</p>
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<p>Discovered in China, the 150 million-year-old fossil <em>Baminornis zhenghensis</em> raises intriguing questions about the evolutionary link between birds and dinosaurs. Researchers suggest it could be the oldest bird discovered, showcasing shorter tail features than <em>Archaeopteryx</em>, hinting that modern bird characteristics evolved earlier than expected.</p>
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<img class="Image" alt="Joaquinraptor casali" width="1350" height="900" src="https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/05151937/SEI_267730855.jpg" srcset="https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/05151937/SEI_267730855.jpg?width=300 300w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/05151937/SEI_267730855.jpg?width=400 400w" sizes="(min-width: 1288px) 837px, (min-width: 1024px) calc(57.5vw + 55px)" loading="lazy" data-image-context="Article" data-image-id="2507375" data-caption="Joaquinraptor casali" data-credit="Andrew McAfee, Carnegie Museum of Natural History"/>
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<p class="ArticleImageCaption__Title">Joaquinraptor casali</p>
<p class="ArticleImageCaption__Credit">Andrew McAfee, Carnegie Museum of Natural History</p>
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<p>The terrifying <em>Joaquinraptor casali</em>, discovered in Patagonia, showcases a unique predator adaptation—its jaw was found with a crocodile's foot lodged in it. With a thumb claw akin to a human forearm, this new <em>Megaraptor</em> species likely grew to over 7 meters long, weighing around 1 tonne, making it one of the fiercest contenders of the Cretaceous period.</p>
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<img class="Image SpecialArticleUnit__Image" alt="Explore the world of science with New Scientist" width="1200" height="800" src="https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/04143725/istock-622193346-.jpg" srcset="https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/04143725/istock-622193346-.jpg?width=300 300w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/04143725/istock-622193346-.jpg?width=375 375w" sizes="(min-width: 1277px) 375px, (min-width: 1040px) 26.36vw" loading="lazy" data-image-context="Special Article Unit" data-credit=""/>
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<h3 class="SpecialArticleUnit__Heading">Dinosaur Hunting in Mongolia's Gobi Desert</h3>
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<p>Join an exhilarating expedition to unearth dinosaur remains in the Gobi Desert, one of the world's premier paleontology sites.</p>
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<p class="ArticleTopics__Heading">Topics:</p>
</section>Source: www.newscientist.com
