ALBANY, NY.- New York State Museum paleontologists have traveled 70-80 million years into the past in collaboration with radiological experts at Albany Medical Center. The strategic partnership between the two research institutions allowed scientists to take a look inside two of the Museum’s rarest artifacts, including a dinosaur egg believed to be from a Hadrosaur—a duck-billed dinosaur from the late Cretaceous Period, and the skull of a Giant Beaver (Castoroides ohioensis)—an extinct Ice Age mammal that was as large as a modern black bear.

The New York State Museum’s collection holds the first described skull of a Giant Beaver, and while the dinosaur egg likely originates from Asia, this group of dinosaurs was known to have also lived in the Northeastern United States. CT scan technology allowed researchers to digitally examine the internal structure of both artifacts for the first time, providing a detailed look inside without causing any damage to the items.

The CT scan on June 11, 2025, provided Museum paleontologists with a crucial view of the Giant Beaver skull, enhancing their understanding of the extinct mammal in ways previously impossible.

Although the scan of the dinosaur egg did not reveal density differences to confirm an embryo, it suggests the egg is intact. A small internal cavity will be further examined for identification.

Michael Mastroianni, Interim Deputy Commissioner of Cultural Education, said “We are deeply grateful to Albany Med for their partnership and expertise. With their support, we were able to uncover new scientific insights into two of the Museum’s most intriguing specimens. The information gained from these scans will be an invaluable resource for our researchers and educators for years to come. At the New York State Museum, we strive every day to inspire curiosity and connect the public with the wonder of discovery—and collaborations like this help us do so in even more meaningful and powerful ways.”

Dr. Robert Feranec, Director of Research and Collections and Curator of Pleistocene Vertebrate Paleontology, said, “Wednesday’s scan has provided us with valuable insight to better our understanding of the reproduction and embryonic development of these extinct creatures. Our scientists are recognized as some of the best in their fields, but we can only see so much with the naked eye. There is much more we can learn from both the beaver skull and dinosaur egg, with these results acting as momentum pushing us closer to our answers. Collaborations like this are crucial to unlocking and preserving New York State’s past.”

Dominic Zanello, Manager of CT Scan and MRI at Albany Medical Center, said, “As a research institution, we are happy to partner with our community to lend our expertise in scientific discovery. This was a fascinating project that allowed our team not only to participate in something they don’t see every day, but also to learn more about the advanced capabilities of our leading-edge technology.”

Museum researchers will continue to analyze the scans over the coming weeks and months.