Thanks to extensive research, paleontologists believe they know a little more about these mysterious dinosaurs, and their discovery is extremely interesting to the entire paleontology community and people everywhere.

Thanks to the layers of ash and mud that covered the ground some 60 million years ago, the basin has long offered paleontologists and historians from around the world some of the most well-preserved fossils from the Cretaceous to early Paleocene period.

Generally, the fossils in the basin belong to ancient plants, mammals, reptiles, and birds. However, the most recent finding is unquestionably among the most exciting in the Qianshan Basin’s rich history.

They were certainly surprised to find the eggs, but then the paleontologists noticed something especially interesting about them: they were filled with clusters of crystals.

While crystallized dinosaur eggs are not entirely unheard of, they are definitely rare. The scientists first determined that the crystals were made of calcite and quartz, then dug even deeper to find out what dinosaur species they came from.

Experts don’t have fossils for these species. So, at best, they only know their size and shape during incubation. That is, if embryos are still in the eggs, which is fairly uncommon. In fact, the majority of what paleontologists know about oospecies comes from analyzing the egg shells.

They reported that the larger size and density of radial microstructures on the eggshell’s inner surface prove that it is an entirely new species, which they have since named Shixingoolithus qianshanensis.

Ornithopods were a group of dinosaurs with similar characteristics, including just two legs, the ability to run quickly, duck-like bills, and a herbivore diet. Experts believe they were one of the longest-surviving dinosaur groups, living from the late Jurassic Period to the late Cretaceous.

Paleontologists believe the ornithopods, along with most other non-avian dinosaurs, were wiped out after a massive asteroid hit the Yucatan Peninsula in what is now Mexico some 66 million years ago.

Known as “Baby Yang,” the fossil shows an almost fully grown Hadrosaurid dinosaur, which is also in the ornithopod family. Baby Yang is now considered one of the rarest finds on Earth.

Just before the asteroid hit the Yucatan Peninsula around 66 million years ago, several gigantic volcanic eruptions occurred in East China, perfectly preserving the plants and animals living there. The ash and mud sealed the bones in place, preventing extensive decomposition over the past tens of millions of years.

Many climate scientists and paleontologists agree that understanding dinosaurs’ evolution and eventual extinction may answer several questions about our own evolution and survival, especially as the climate continues to change.