Shafaqna Science: Paleontologists in southern France have uncovered one of the world’s most remarkable dinosaur nesting grounds, where hundreds of fossilized eggs dating back nearly 72 million years were found.
The discovery was made at the Mèze fossil site, where scientists conducting winter excavations exposed a vast concentration of dinosaur eggs preserved within Upper Cretaceous rock layers. Many of the eggs remain intact, with shells and internal structures still visible after tens of millions of years.
According to Musée-Parc des Dinosaures de Mèze director-curator Alain Cabot, the site represents an “exceptional concentration” of fossilized eggs spread across roughly 15 square miles.
More than 100 eggs were uncovered within weeks of excavation, while researchers believe many more remain buried beneath surrounding sediment. The extensive fossil layer indicates that the area once served as a large prehistoric nesting ground used repeatedly by dinosaurs.
Initial analysis shows most of the eggs belong to titanosaurs—massive, long-necked herbivorous dinosaurs that dominated the Late Cretaceous period. However, scientists also identified eggs from smaller species, suggesting multiple dinosaurs shared the same breeding environment.
Small carnivorous theropods, including the rare species Prismatoolithus caboti
Researchers say the diversity of species points to a shared nesting habitat similar to modern bird colonies that gather in protected environments to raise offspring.
Geologists believe periodic flooding rapidly buried the eggs under sediment, shielding them from erosion and allowing exceptional fossil preservation. The floodplain conditions effectively sealed the nests, creating natural time capsules from the age of dinosaurs.