The discovery of the dinosaur footprint in Alcobaça represents an important milestone for science in Portugal and emphasizes the potential of young scientists in the country and the importance of investing in science education.
Two young Portuguese students from the city of Oeiras received the silver medal in the Italian Contest for Young Scientists, an international science contest for young people held in Italy. They were awarded for the discovery of the only Stegopodus dinosaur footprint in Portugal and the second in Europe. The discovery was made by students João Grenho and João Diogo, from the Paço de Arcos School District, in Oeiras.
The footprint was found in Alcobaça, in the district of Leiria, after these adolescents developed a classification scale to identify the dinosaur footprint. Since the footprint is the only one of its kind in Portugal and only the second in Europe, it was a significant discovery. The Portuguese students’ project, entitled ‘Stegosaurus footprints – the enigma!’, had already been commended in Portugal by the Youth Foundation, in the National Contest of Young Scientists. After that, it recently allowed them to represent the country in the international science competition in Italy, where they competed against 33 projects from all over Europe, Asia, North America and South America.
The achievement is proof of the potential of Portuguese youth in the field of research and proof of how important it is to support young science talent in our country. It highlights how vital, enriching and inspiring science education can be for young students.
