AI DinoTracker App Identifies Dinosaurs From Ancient Footprints

Scientists have launched an AI-powered app called DinoTracker that identifies dinosaur footprints with about 90% accuracy. Researchers from University of Edinburgh and Helmholtz-Zentrum trained the system using 2,000 unlabelled footprint silhouettes. Unlike earlier models, the AI grouped tracks by shape similarities instead of relying on human labels. The app lets users upload footprints and compare them with similar examples. Writing in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team said results support expert classifications while raising new questions about birdlike dinosaur tracks.