Science News from research organizations A giant blade-crested spinosaurus, the “hell heron,” discovered in the Sahara A blade-crested “hell heron” dinosaur unearthed in the Sahara is rewriting the final chapter of spinosaur evolution. Date: February 23, 2026 Source: University of Chicago Medical Center Summary: Deep in the heart of the Sahara, scientists have uncovered Spinosaurus mirabilis — a spectacular new predator crowned with a massive, scimitar-shaped crest that may once have blazed with color under the desert sun. Discovered in remote inland river deposits in Niger, the fossil rewrites what we thought we knew about spinosaur dinosaurs, suggesting they weren’t fully aquatic hunters but powerful waders stalking fish in forested waterways hundreds of miles from the sea.
