Baby Dinosaur Named After Beloved Korean Cartoon Character

A team of researchers just gave the world's newest dinosaur species the most adorable name possible, honoring a green cartoon character beloved across generations in South Korea.

Scientists from The University of Texas at Austin and the Korean Dinosaur Research Center discovered a baby dinosaur fossil on Korea's Aphae Island and named it Doolysaurus after Dooly, an iconic cartoon dinosaur known to every Korean. The timing couldn't be more perfect since the fossil itself is a juvenile, making it a true "baby" dinosaur.

"Dooly is one of the very famous, iconic dinosaur characters in Korea," said Jongyun Jung, the postdoctoral researcher who led the study. "And our specimen is also a juvenile or 'baby,' so it's perfect for our dinosaur species name to honor Dooly."

The discovery marks the first new dinosaur species found in Korea in 15 years. Even more exciting, it's the first Korean dinosaur fossil ever found with portions of its skull intact.

The researchers almost missed the full scope of their discovery. When researcher Hyemin Jo first found the specimen in 2023, the team could only see a few leg bones and vertebrae poking out of solid rock.

Everything changed when they took the fossil to the University of Texas High-Resolution X-ray CT facility for a micro-CT scan. The advanced imaging revealed dozens of hidden bones, including precious skull fragments, all preserved inside the hard rock.

"There was a fair amount of excitement when we saw what was hidden inside the block," Jung said. The technology that typically takes a decade of hand excavation revealed the complete fossil in just a few months.

Why This Inspires

This discovery shows how new technology is unlocking secrets that have been hiding in plain sight for millions of years. South Korea is famous for dinosaur footprints, nests, and eggs, but actual dinosaur bones have been frustratingly rare.

Jung believes many more fossils may be trapped inside Korean rocks, waiting for CT scans to reveal them. He's already planning another trip to Aphae Island to search for more hidden treasures.

The two-year-old Doolysaurus was about the size of a turkey when it died 113 million years ago. Adults likely grew twice that size and may have been covered in fuzzy filaments, making them look "a bit like a little lamb," according to study co-author Julia Clarke.

The fossil contained dozens of gastroliths, small pebbles the baby dinosaur swallowed to help digest its omnivore diet of plants, insects, and small animals. These tiny stones actually saved the fossil because their presence indicated the skeleton remained intact after death, prompting the team to investigate further.

Researchers Minguk Kim and Hyemin Jo are now using the CT analysis skills they learned in Texas to study more Korean fossils, potentially opening a new chapter in understanding dinosaurs from East Asia.