A fossil found in Penarth, South Wales, in 1899 has finally revealed a new dinosaur species, named Newtonsaurus cambrensis after Isaac Newton. Using modern 3D scanning technology, palaeontology students at the University of Bristol reconstructed the dinosaur’s jawbone from natural limestone moulds.

The preserved jawbone, 28cm long (front half), suggests that the full jaw was about 60cm, indicating a large carnivorous predator about 5–7 meters long. This species roamed South Wales during the Triassic period, and features a distinctive arrangement of serrated teeth not seen in other dinosaurs from that era.

Prof. Michael J Benton explained that photogrammetry and digital inversion allowed the team to study the fossil in detail. Curator Cindy Howells noted that historical specimens often reveal new discoveries, even after more than a century, and Triassic fossil beds in Wales may hold more undiscovered dinosaurs.

This discovery shows how modern technology can unlock secrets of ancient fossils, proving that even museum specimens can have surprises waiting for decades.