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The Bone Wars of the 1870s saw rival paleontologists dynamiting fossil sites to prevent competitors from finding dinosaurs
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Dark HistoryMar 26, 2026

The Bone Wars of the 1870s saw rival paleontologists dynamiting fossil sites to prevent competitors from finding dinosaurs

Two scientists declared war over dinosaur bones. Othniel Marsh and Edward Cope used dynamite sabotage. They destroyed fossil sites to block each other. Spies infiltrated rival excavation teams regularly. The feud lasted 15 years destroying evidence.

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