Spinosaurus spent most of its life underwater, study finds

A new study published in the journal Current Biology suggests that the Spinosaurus, a dinosaur famously featured in Jurassic Park III, spent the majority of its life submerged in water to hunt and feed.

Researchers utilized a combination of traditional paleontological techniques and artificial intelligence to analyze extensive data, including over 11,000 measurements, photographs, and CT scans from hundreds of fossil and modern specimens housed in museums worldwide, such as the Yale Peabody Museum. This approach allowed the team to account for evolutionary relationships and overcome the limitations of incomplete or conflicting fossil records.

Lead author Caleb Gordon noted that the findings help clarify how certain groups became secondarily aquatic, evolving similar features to thrive in water. The study also provided insights into other prehistoric creatures, revealing that some ancient marine reptiles previously thought to be fully aquatic actually spent significant time on land.