An extraordinary discovery in China suggests that early mammals may have hunted and preyed on dinosaurs during the Cretaceous period, around 125 million years ago. The fossil, found at a site known as “China’s Pompeii,” depicts a badgerlike mammal feasting on a small, beaked dinosaur, both entwined in their final moments.

Researchers believe the mammal was attacking the dinosaur when they were both caught in a volcanic flow, preserving their struggle for eternity. This finding challenges the previous belief that mammals merely scavenged dead dinosaurs.

The study, described in Scientific Reports, reveals the meat-eating mammal, Repenomamus robustus, gripping the dinosaur’s jaw and hind limb while its teeth pierce the ribcage. The dinosaur, Psittacosaurus lujiatunensis, was a plant-eating species.

The discovery sheds new light on the dynamics of prehistoric life, showing that early mammals were not merely passive creatures during the Age of Dinosaurs. The fossil’s authenticity has been confirmed through careful analysis, providing a unique glimpse into the ancient predator-prey relationship.

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