Scientists Strike Giant Paleontological 'Gold'

By Joe Palca

Published December 5, 2015 at 7:55 AM EST

Scientists at the University of Edinburgh have found a field of dinosaur footprints on the Isle of Skye. The footprints were made by giant dinosaurs 50 feet long that weighed nearly 20 tons. (This piece initially aired on Dec. 3, 2015, on All Things Considered.)

Corrected: December 7, 2015 at 12:00 AM EST

A previous headline on this story incorrectly used the word "archaeological," which refers to the study of ancient human activity.

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Joe Palca

Joe Palca is a science correspondent for NPR. Since joining NPR in 1992, Palca has covered a range of science topics — everything from biomedical research to astronomy. He is currently focused on the eponymous series, "Joe's Big Idea." Stories in the series explore the minds and motivations of scientists and inventors. Palca is also the founder of NPR Scicommers – A science communication collective.

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