Museum of flying reptiles in dinosaur age set to open

Sudden catastrophic lake storms likely devastated the species, causing their bodies to be quickly torn apart and buried. Over time, the fossil-bearing yardang landscape — wind-carved hills or ridges found in arid and semi-arid environments — were formed, with fossils jumbled in hard rock geological structures.

Currently, the team is working on fossil restoration for the museum's opening, which has been ongoing for about a year and a half. Pterosaur egg fossils are particularly delicate, with shells that are only a few dozen micrometers thick. They require meticulous restoration under a microscope, as even slight pressure can cause them to break. Sometimes technicians can repair only one or two fragmented bones in a month, he said.

The pterosaur-themed museum is part of the Hami Pterosaur-Yardang National Geopark, which was granted national geopark status in March 2020. The area features the world's largest, most developed and visually striking yardang landform and is the only place along the ancient Silk Road where a yardang cluster has been found with signs of human habitation.

Tian Yu and Polat Niyaz contributed to this story.