By detecting heme—an iron-rich component of hemoglobin—still bound to globin proteins, the team has confirmed the presence of original blood molecules within fossilized bone. This adds significant weight to the argument that these materials are not modern contaminants but genuine remnants of dinosaur biochemistry. “We didn’t know that it could bind to and stabilize protein fragments,” Hallen noted, adding that this interaction may explain why certain biological molecules manage to persist while others vanish. Instead of assuming that soft tissues and biological molecules are always destroyed, researchers are now exploring microenvironments within fossils that may preserve biochemical traces. The role of minerals like goethite and the identification of specific molecular structures open a pathway for future research into fossil chemistry across different geologic ages.