20 Mind-Blowing Facts About Dinosaurs

By Chris Waugh /

4. Oldest-Discovered Dinosaur Skeleton Dates Back 240million Years

The oldest-discovered dino fossil dates back 240million years - which is more than 10million years earlier than previously thought. The Nyasasaurus parringtoni - meaning "Lake Nyasa lizard" - was discovered in Tanzania in the 1930s but was not properly examined until 2012, when its age was determined. Although little is known about the reptile, it is believed to have been 2-3 metres in height and looked quite similar to a Velociraptor (or "swift seizer"), if significantly larger.