From "giant bones" to dinosaurs: How did humans discover a world millions of years old?

Before dinosaurs became some of the most famous extinct creatures, their massive bones puzzled humans for centuries. Some early interpretations even linked them to giants or mythical beings, before scientific studies gradually revealed their true nature.

According to a report published by Arab News, English naturalist Robert Plot recorded an early description of a massive bone in the 17th century, believing it might belong to a giant human. In the 19th century, the picture began to change with the development of paleontology.

In 1824, geologist William Buckland scientifically described the Megalosaurus, followed by Gideon Mantell’s research on the Iguanodon.

In 1842, anatomist Richard Owen grouped several of these discoveries under a new classification he named “Dinosauria,” marking a new phase in understanding these ancient creatures.

Subsequent fossil discoveries around the world revealed the immense diversity of dinosaurs that lived over millions of years, before the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs approximately 66 million years ago.