In brief
An international team announced the first chemically proven evidence of fossilized red blood cells and collagen in a 115‑million‑year‑old dinosaur from northeastern Brazil, challenging assumptions that hemoglobin cannot survive deep time. The discovery, published in PNAS, may open new research pathways in ancient blood evolution and biomolecule preservation.
On November 4, 2026, scientists announced that a 115‑million‑year‑old theropod dinosaur bone from northeastern Brazil contained mineralized red blood cells and intact collagen amino acids, the oldest unequivocal evidence of fossilized blood ever documented, according to a Xinhua report citing the Curtin University statement.
Researchers from Australia, Japan, Brazil and the United States reported that the dinosaur’s limb bones were preserved in a low‑oxygen, microbially rich environment that allowed the cells to mineralize with hausmannite, a process that helped lock in the hemoglobin‑derived molecules and the cellular structures for millions of years.
The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is the first to chemically prove the presence of hemoglobin‑derived molecules inside the cells, contrasting with earlier reports that only suggested possible red blood‑cell structures.
According to Xinhua, Curtin University lead author Kliti Grice, a distinguished professor, said the findings “challenge longstanding assumptions that biomolecules such as hemoglobin could not survive deep time.”
“The findings could open new avenues for studying the evolution of blood, metabolism and activity levels in ancient animals, while offering insights relevant to the search for ancient life in the cosmos,” a researcher from the team said.
While the chemical confirmation of fossilized blood is a confirmed event, the broader implications for understanding ancient metabolism and the potential relevance to the search for extraterrestrial life remain speculative at this stage, with Xinhua noting that the study “offers insights” but not yet proven beyond the fossil itself.
