200-Million-Year-Old Dinosaur Tracks Found Near Olympics Site
The Facts
- Hundreds of meters of dinosaur tracks over 200 million years old were discovered in the Stelvio National Park in northern Italy, in an area between the towns of Bormio and Livigno that will host part of the 2026 Winter Olympics, authorities said Tuesday.
- Nature photographer Elio Della Ferrera first spotted the imprints in September on an almost vertical rocky slope, with some tracks measuring up to 40 centimeters (15 inches) in diameter, and subsequently contacted paleontologist Cristiano Dal Sasso from Milan's Natural History Museum.
- The tracks are preserved in Upper Triassic dolomitic rocks dating back approximately 210 million years, with most footprints being elongated and made by bipeds, and the best-preserved ones bearing traces of at least four toes.
Sources Split
LEFT
CENTER
RIGHT
+1
+3
+2
ESTAB
CRIT
CENTER
PRO
ESTAB
The Spin
Narrative A
This discovery is an immense scientific treasure that reveals complex dinosaur behaviors never before imagined in the region, including evidence of herds moving in harmony and forming defensive circles. The spectacular find combines past and present in a symbolic passing of the baton between nature and sport, as history itself pays homage to the upcoming Winter Olympics.
Narrative B
Though the footprint site may provide an unexpected gift from remote eras to the 2026 Games, inaccessible location and the difficulty of verifying counts may overstate the find’s significance. Moreover, preservation bias and the challenge of confirming species make interpretations tentative, suggesting sensational numbers could overshadow the cautious, long-term scientific study needed to truly understand the ancient site.
Metaculus Prediction
© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 7.18.2