News by Levels · Level 1 · Student worksheet

Scientists Prepare to Study an Unusual Dinosaur

Name: __________________________ Date: __________________

Read the story

A 75-million-year-old dinosaur skeleton found in southern Utah will be studied in public at North Carolina’s SECU DinoLab. It belongs to the beaked, toothless ornithomimid group and may represent a new species. That is not yet confirmed.

The place where a fossil was found and the place where it is studied can be different. Here the specimen travels to a museum for work. Finding unusual bones is also not the same as confirming a new species; preparation helps scientists examine the evidence.

Editorial correction, 26 October 2026: We reviewed source attribution, wording and reading practice, correcting unsupported claims where needed. This is a retrospective archive review; the original publication date is retained.

Source: Sources checked 26 October 2026. https://www.dncr.nc.gov/news/press-releases/2026/10/23/rare-ostrich-dinosaur-ready-study-nc-museum-natural-sciences

Read and practise

1. Why distinguish Utah from North Carolina?

   1. They must be two discovery sites
   2. They describe discovery and study locations
   3. The fossil’s age changes during transport

2. What is the status of the species claim?

   1. Confirmed solely by transporting the fossil
   2. Rejected because preparation is public
   3. Provisional pending investigation

Your turn

Explain why preparation is part of discovery rather than proof of a new species.

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Read online: https://newsbylevels.com/news/utah-ostrich-dinosaur-public-lab-october-2026/level-1/