A new AI app lets users identify dinosaur footprints by uploading a photo, solving puzzles that have stumped scientists for decades.
Even more surprising, it may have uncovered evidence that birds—or bird-like dinosaurs—appeared far earlier than anyone expected.
AI Brings New Life to Ancient Dinosaur Footprints
A new artificial intelligence (AI) app is offering a powerful new way to identify dinosaur footprints that were left behind millions of years ago, according to a recent study. The technology is designed to help both scientists and the public better understand fossilized tracks that have long puzzled researchers.
For generations, paleontologists have examined ancient footprints and debated what kind of animals made them. Some tracks may belong to meat-eating predators, others to plant-eating giants, and some have even raised the possibility of early bird relatives. Until now, those questions were often difficult to answer with confidence.
A Smartphone Tool for Fossil Sleuths
The new app, called DinoTracker, allows users to upload a photo or sketch of a dinosaur footprint directly from a mobile phone. Within moments, the app analyzes the image and offers an informed assessment of which type of dinosaur may have created the track. This opens the door for professionals and enthusiasts alike to take part in fossil investigation.
Fossilised dinosaur footprints provide valuable clues about prehistoric life, revealing how dinosaurs moved, behaved, and interacted with their environments. However, past studies have shown that interpreting these tracks is notoriously challenging due to erosion, deformation, and incomplete preservation.
