A team of researchers have managed to digitally rebuild the brain of a Thecodontosaurus – a dinosaur that had relatives which included the Brontosaurus and Diplodocus.

The researchers from the University of Bristol achieved this by using imaging software that included CT scans to scan the cranium from a fossil of the dinosaur. By doing this, 3D models of the Thecodontosaurus’ brain could then be produced. Furthermore, the preservation of the fossil wasn’t harmed.

In result, the team were able to learn new information about the dinosaur, including its hearing frequency, eating habits and running stance.

“Its brain cast even showed the detail of the floccular lobes, located at the back of the brain, which are important for balance. Their large size indicate it was bipedal. This structure is also associated with the control of balance and eye and neck movements, suggesting Thecodontosaurus was relatively agile and could keep a stable gaze while moving fast”, said Antonio Ballell, who was the lead author of this study.

The Thecodontosarus dinosaur was approximately the size of a large dog and roamed the Earth roughly 205 million years ago during the Triassic.