Scientists discover 72-million-year-old dinosaur eggs in ‘extraordinary’ find in France

Paleontologists in southern France have uncovered nearly 100 fossilised dinosaur eggs believed to be around 72 million years old in what experts are calling an “extraordinary” prehistoric discovery.

According to People, the eggs were discovered in Mèze, a coastal town in southern France, on land owned by geologist and museum founder Alain Cabot. The fossilised eggs, each roughly the size of small melons, are believed to have been laid by titanosaurs, massive long-necked herbivorous dinosaurs that could grow up to 50 feet long and weigh as much as 20 tons.

Researchers believe the site dates back to the Late Cretaceous period, when the region formed part of the ancient Ibero-Armorican Island, which once connected parts of present-day France, Spain and Portugal.

Cabot said the discovery may only represent a fraction of what remains buried underground, with scientists suspecting that hundreds more eggs could still be hidden beneath sediment layers. He described the fossil site as an “exceptional concentration” of dinosaur eggs spread across a massive nesting area.

Experts believe seasonal flooding millions of years ago helped preserve the eggs by rapidly burying them beneath mud and sediment. Researchers also think titanosaurs repeatedly returned to the same nesting grounds, similar to the migratory behaviour of some modern animals.

The discovery has drawn comparisons to major dinosaur egg sites previously uncovered in Argentina and China, though some paleontologists cautioned against overstating its uniqueness until further scientific analysis is completed.

Scientists hope studying the eggshells and fossil layers could provide new information about dinosaur reproduction, prehistoric biodiversity and climate conditions during the Late Cretaceous era.