Dinosaur tumour on display
A cast of a dinosaur fossil preserving the earliest known example of a malignant tumour has gone on display at the Science Museum in London as part of a new exhibition exploring how the understanding, detection, and treatment of cancer has evolved.
Discovered in 2020, the osteosarcoma affects the shin bone of a centrosaurus, a herbivorous dinosaur with a spiny neck frill and a long horn on its nose that lived in Canada during the Late Cretaceous period (c.100 million-66 million years ago). A resin cast of the bone (below) has been loaned by the Royal Ontario Museum, and is now on display in the UK for the first time.
The exhibition includes 125 objects tracing the history of cancer treatment, and showcasing some of the latest research and discoveries in this field – as well as highlighting challenges that still need to overcome. There are also artworks exploring the emotional and psychological impact of living with cancer.
