The newly uncovered Oxfordshire trackway is providing scientists with unprecedented insight into the behaviour, movement, and environment of dinosaurs during the Middle Jurassic era. By combining advanced 3D modelling with traditional excavation, researchers have reconstructed the way these enormous creatures walked, interacted, and possibly even paused mid-journey.
Palaeontologist Peter Falkingham from Liverpool John Moores University explained that trackways reveal details fossils cannot. “A skeleton shows the size and anatomy, but these tracks capture the animal in motion,” he said. Using digital scanning, his team recreated the stride of the sauropod, estimating that it moved at about two metres per second—the pace of a brisk human walk. Intriguingly, one footprint breaks the pattern, suggesting that the dinosaur momentarily stopped or shifted weight onto one leg before continuing.
For such footprints to survive for millions of years, conditions had to be perfect. Scientists describe this as the “Goldilocks effect”: sediment that was soft enough to capture the imprint, yet firm enough to hold its shape before being rapidly covered by a fresh layer of mud or silt. Over time, geological processes transformed these layers into rock, preserving the moment forever.
The quarry’s surrounding rocks also contain delicate marine fossils—tiny seashells, belemnites, and even sea urchins—indicating that the region was once a shallow lagoon similar to the modern-day Bahamas. These smaller finds help scientists piece together the ancient ecosystem in which the dinosaurs lived, walked, and fed.
For veteran palaeontologists like Dr. Nicholls, the experience remains awe-inspiring. “Even after two decades in this field, seeing these footprints up close gives you chills,” she said. “It’s humbling to stand where these enormous animals once stood.”
As more of the quarry is exposed, experts believe additional trackways may be found, potentially forming one of the most extensive dinosaur footprint sites in Europe. Each new discovery deepens our understanding of prehistoric life, revealing not just how dinosaurs looked—but how they truly lived, moved, and left their mark on the Earth millions of years ago.
