Hong Kong's First Dinosaur Fossils, Likely from Large Dinosaur, Go on Display

A child looks at dinosaur figurines displayed at the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre during an exhibition featuring a rock containing dinosaur bone fossils discovered for the first time, in Hong Kong, China October 25, 2024. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu
A child looks at dinosaur figurines displayed at the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre during an exhibition featuring a rock containing dinosaur bone fossils discovered for the first time, in Hong Kong, China October 25, 2024. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu
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Hong Kong's First Dinosaur Fossils, Likely from Large Dinosaur, Go on Display

A child looks at dinosaur figurines displayed at the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre during an exhibition featuring a rock containing dinosaur bone fossils discovered for the first time, in Hong Kong, China October 25, 2024. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu
A child looks at dinosaur figurines displayed at the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre during an exhibition featuring a rock containing dinosaur bone fossils discovered for the first time, in Hong Kong, China October 25, 2024. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

The first dinosaur fossils found in Hong Kong, likely from a large dinosaur, were put on display on Friday after they were found on a small, uninhabited outlying island, providing new evidence for research on palaeoecology in the financial hub.

The fossils, confirmed to be dated to the Cretaceous period some 145 million to 66 million years ago, need further study to confirm the dinosaur species, authorities said, but it was clear they were large vertebrate animals.

They were found on Port Island, located in the northeast of Hong Kong and known for its red rock formations, Reuters reported.

The city's Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said in March the sedimentary rock on Port Island may contain fossils.

China's Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) this week signed an agreement to conduct further research, Reuters reported.

In addition to Argentina, Canada and the United States, China is one of the four main countries in the world for both finding and researching dinosaur fossils, said Michael Pittman, an assistant professor in the School of Life Sciences at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

“This extremely exciting discovery now adds local dinosaur fossils to Hong Kong’s strong existing track record of dinosaur research. I hope it inspires greater interest in science and nature in our community and will lead to notable scientific outcomes,” Pittman said.

At the Heritage Discovery Centre inside Hong Kong's Kowloon Park, eager fans gathered early on Friday to catch a glimpse of the fossils.

Chong Got, 66, was one of the first to arrive.

"It's shocking because I never thought there would be dinosaur fossils in Hong Kong."



Faint Glow in Saturn… Did a Mystery Object Crash into the Gas Giant on Saturday?

New image captured by a NASA employee and amateur astronomer appears to show a space object crashing into Saturn for the first time. Photo: NASA
New image captured by a NASA employee and amateur astronomer appears to show a space object crashing into Saturn for the first time. Photo: NASA
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Faint Glow in Saturn… Did a Mystery Object Crash into the Gas Giant on Saturday?

New image captured by a NASA employee and amateur astronomer appears to show a space object crashing into Saturn for the first time. Photo: NASA
New image captured by a NASA employee and amateur astronomer appears to show a space object crashing into Saturn for the first time. Photo: NASA

Astronomers have called for help to identify a mystery object that may have hit Saturn on Saturday in what could be the first recorded instance of a space object crashing on to the gas giant.

Studies suggest large objects- measuring over a kilometer across – strike Saturn once every 3,125 years on an average, according to The Independent.

Although data shows seven or eight small space rocks hit the planet every year, none have been spotted in the act by astronomers so far.

Compared to rocky planets where cosmic collisions leave impact craters, gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn don’t reveal such signs.

But a new image captured by a Nasa employee and amateur astronomer Mario Rana appears to show a space object crashing into Saturn for the first time.

Since gas giants have outer layers made of hydrogen and helium, strikes by asteroids or comets can quickly fade out.

Rana is part of the DeTeCt project, which analyzes images of Jupiter and Saturn using computer software. Videos taken of Saturn by the astronomer last Saturday show a faint glow in the left side of the footage, which seems like an impact event.

The Planetary Virtual Observatory and Laboratory, or PVOL, a consortium of professional and amateur astronomers, has called for experts in the field to attempt to confirm or refute the potential impact on Saturn.

“Marc Delcroix reports a potential impact in Saturn captured in a few frames in a video observation obtained by Mario Rana. The potential impact would be very faint and is unconfirmed,” PVOL said in a statement.

“The very short impact flash occurred on Saturn on 5 July 2025, between 9am and 9.15am UT. It is very important to get other videos of Saturn taken during that time frame.”

PVOL has urged astronomers who may have also captured observations from this time to contact Delcroix and submit their data.

Leigh N Fletcher, a planetary science professor at the University of Leicester, also called for amateur space observers to share any potential videos they may have of the impact.

“Amplifying the call from Marc Delcroix and co over the weekend: the team are looking to verify/refute a potential impact on Saturn on 5 July, 9am to 9.15am UT,” Dr Fletcher wrote on BlueSky.

“Videos taken by amateur observers at that time might hold the key.”