AI DinoTracker App Identifies Dinosaurs From Ancient Footprints

Scientists launched DinoTracker, an AI app that identifies dinosaurs from fossil footprints with about 90% expert-level accuracy.
Researchers from University of Edinburgh trained the system using 2,000 unlabeled footprint silhouettes.
The AI groups tracks by shared shape features, including toe spread, heel position, and ground contact.
Prof Steve Brusatte said the method avoids errors from wrongly labeled fossils.
The app lets users compare similar tracks and test how shape changes affect classification.
Results support earlier findings that some Triassic tracks look birdlike, despite predating known birds.
Scientists say the tracks likely came from birdlike meat-eating dinosaurs, not true early birds.