Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
A dinosaur fossil reveals armor so strong, it could withstand the impact of a high-speed car crash — a glimpse into a prehistoric tank built to survive brutal forces.
The fossil of Borealopelta markmitchelli shows its keratin armor could withstand forces akin to a speeding F150. "This thing could tank an F150 going at speed," says paleontologist Michael Habib.
Living 110 million years ago, the nodosaur reached up to 18 feet, equipped with armor perfect for defense against fierce Cretaceous predators.
Found in Alberta, Canada, this fossil was so intact that scientists analyzed armor color, texture, and even the dinosaur's last meal, notes evolutionary biologist Emma Schachner.
The nodosaur’s keratin sheath was an impressive 6.3 inches thick, far outclassing modern-day animals like cattle, whose horn sheaths are only about 0.6 inches, Habib says.
With armor capable of enduring 125,000 joules per square meter, the nodosaur’s defense wasn’t just bone — it was like a "bulletproof vest over plate armor."
In a world of fierce meat-eaters, this flexible armor could handle massive bite forces without cracking, a critical adaptation in the Early Cretaceous.
Habib suggests that nodosaurs might have used this armor in fights for mates, taking on impacts stronger than those from most Cretaceous predators.
This nodosaur’s structure hints that other armored dinosaurs, like horned species, may also have had similarly thick keratin, giving new insight into prehistoric defenses.