Red in Tooth and Claw: Scientists Reveal Dinosaurs Had Blood Like Ours

© REUTERS / Laurent Mekul/Handout via ReutersSergio Bertazzo, a biomedical physical scientist at Imperial College in London, examines a fossil at Natural History Museum in London in this undated handout photo provided by Laurent Mekul, June 9, 2015
Sergio Bertazzo, a biomedical physical scientist at Imperial College in London, examines a fossil at Natural History Museum in London in this undated handout photo provided by Laurent Mekul, June 9, 2015 - Sputnik International
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Researchers have found what they claim are red blood cells and connective tissue in the fossilized remains of a dinosaur that lived 75 million years ago.

The remnants of red blood cells and collagen fibers have reportedly been discovered in 75 million-year-old dinosaur fossils, according to the journal Nature Communications.

© REUTERS / Laurent Mekul/Handout via ReutersAn ungual claw from an indeterminate theropod where the erythrocyte-like structures were found, is pictured in this undated handout photo provided by Laurent Mekul, June 9, 2015
An ungual claw from an indeterminate theropod where the erythrocyte-like structures were found, is pictured in this undated handout photo provided by Laurent Mekul, June 9, 2015 - Sputnik International
An ungual claw from an indeterminate theropod where the erythrocyte-like structures were found, is pictured in this undated handout photo provided by Laurent Mekul, June 9, 2015

The discovery was made by researchers from Imperial College London after they analyzed eight less-than-perfect fossils that are currently at the Natural History Museum in London.

© Photo : Sergio BertazzoDino blood cells
Dino blood cells - Sputnik International
Dino blood cells

"They're very scrappy, individual broken bones. I can't even tell you what dinosaur they come from," Susannah Maidment, of Imperial College London, was quoted by the BBC as saying.

Intact soft tissue has been spotted in dinosaur fossils before, but, as Maidment explained, "all of the previous reports of original components of soft tissues in dinosaur fossils have tended to be in specimens that are really exceptionally preserved."

A medical research technique was used to study fossil bones, scientists said, referring to a focused ion beam.

An artist's depiction shows the Chilesaurus diegosuarezi in this undated handout illustration provided by the University of Birmingham in Birmingham, Alabama on April 27, 2015 - Sputnik International
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"This beam works like a knife, with a microscopic robotic arm bearing a needle that enables you to cut out fragments of interest,"according to Sergio Bertazzo, also of Imperial College London.

Researchers said that even though the soft tissue cells are unlikely to contain DNA, the discovery could help shed more light on dinosaur physiology and behavior.

In particular, the physical size of blood cells may add to insights into metabolism, and specific species' possible transition from a cold to warm-blooded existence.

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