More Antarctic Dinosaurs 167
RockDoctor writes "The highly respected palaeontology journal Acta Palaeontologica Polonica has published its December number for free access on the Web, with the headline paper concerning new discoveries of dinosaurs from Antarctica. (Paper here, PDF.) The first major part of these discoveries was made in 1991, when isolated bones of a sauropod (a relative of the Apatosaurus, formerly known as Brontosaurus) were found associated with a theropod (ancestor or cousin of Tyrannosaurus rex). The sauropod has been named Glacialisaurus hammeri (the reason for the genus name is obvious, and Professor Hammer led the field expeditions under 'extremely difficult conditions'). The herbivore was some 25 ft. long and weighed 4 to 6 tons; at the time of life, the area was between 55 and 65 degrees south, suggesting a climate similar to the Falkland Islands or Tierra del Fuego."
Antarctica? (Score:4, Funny)
I'm ready to be modded down, now.
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I think you meant the Old Ones.
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C - none of the above (Score:2, Informative)
The point is the same. Many upon many catastrophic events (HUGE earthquakes, volcanic events, great floods even, recorded by every civilization of the world) change lots of stuff. Plates in the earth move. Sometimes a lot. Antarctica is a moving target on a geological time scale.
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Creationist is NOT endorsed by the Roman Catholic Church. Can we even find a single Archbishop or Cardinal that subscribes to creationist ?
But hey, maybe you thinkin
brontosaurus (Score:4, Informative)
Re:brontosaurus (Score:4, Informative)
Re:brontosaurus (Score:5, Funny)
Bow before me. I am Brontosaurus. Frickin' sweet!
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FYI, there is another "grand renaming" in the pipeline, due to the description and naming of a partial leg in about 1880. Tyrannosaurus appears to have been described (partially) from a handful of bones over 20 years before Barnum Brown found, described and named the iconic near-complete skeleton.
ICZN does have rules to cover this situation now - if the taxon with the
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Urrrgh, you got me. I saw the description of the problem go by, and thought to my self "I'd better remember that name, because some one is bound to ask me." and I didn't remember it. I didn't even write it down. I didn't even make the attempt.
Excuse me, I'll just go off and commit hara kiri with the blunt edge of this keyboard.
Sorry.
Re:brontosaurus (Score:5, Interesting)
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Btw what's with all these obsessing about sources (at least with topics such as these); I don't h
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Because otherwise you end up with people spreading misinformation that is generally believed to be true, like the old urban legend about how if you cover your entire body in paint, you will suffocate because your skin can't "breathe".
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C & D letter. It was too close to Brontesaurus, a collection of references to the works of Charlotte Bronte, which though never actually published, might be some day and in the spirit of things as they are these days, they had to give it up rather than fight a long, costly legal battle with Bronte's heirs.
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Flintstones Bar and Grill Re:brontosaurus (Score:2)
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Still funnier is that a lot of the Flintstones ideas showed up in Larry Niven's known space series like Gift from Earth.
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Care to elaborate? Bearing in mind that I polished off about 3 chapters of "Gift From Earth" last night, and it's not my first reading of GFE (or any other Niven Known Space story).
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OIC. Dropping the parrot's tail into the grooves of the record. Heh - try explaining that one to some spotty little kid who was born a decade after CD killed vinyl [GRIN].
Architectural Coral - now there's an idea!
How did
so many books so little time (Score:2)
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Thank Bog it wasn't a Norrisaurus!
Formerly Brontosaurus?? (Score:2, Funny)
Next thing you'll tell me we only have 8 planets!
Re:Formerly Brontosaurus?? (Score:5, Funny)
Honestly, didn't they teach you anything in school?
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Incidentally one of their former classmates invented the gibibyte.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brontosaurus [wikipedia.org]
"though it was recognized as a species of a previously-named genus, Apatosaurus, in 1903."
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The species Brontosaurus excelsus was named by its discoverer Othniel Charles Marsh, in 1879 and the designation persisted as an official term in the general public's literature until at least 1974, though it was recognized as a species of a previously-named genus, Apatosaurus, in 1903..
which backs up what I just said (though I was born in 1975 so in England we must have been slow to change books).
We shall both be right
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"The species Brontosaurus excelsus was named by its discoverer Othniel Charles Marsh, in 1879 and the designation persisted as an official term in the general public's literature until at least 1974, though it was recognized as a species of a previously-named genus, Apatosaurus, in 1903.."
So yes, we both learned the wrong name from poor school literature.
however, I had a brief flirtation with paleontology so I had learned the proper name in high school and I should have recogni
Image (Score:5, Interesting)
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watch (Score:2)
To the tune of the Oscar Meyer song... (Score:2)
It's called "Jurassic Park"
It has velociraptors
Eating lawyers in the dark
I'd like to watch it every day
And if you ask me why I'll say
"'cause Steven Spielberg has a way
With fossil dino D.N.A!"
Headline: Antarctica (Score:5, Funny)
Researchers have still to uncover this creature's habitat, but they did find the petrified parts of a corpse belonging to a rather large creature, which is referred to more commonly by its Latin name, Nix Quintis, as well as remains of another animal known as Distriae Berkeleyus; the latter was known to have been wiped out approximately sixteen million years ago due to the Netcraft epidemics, which gives us a rough idea as to how old Minix is.
A lean predator, Minix was known to be a vicious and somewhat egotistical creature, prone to fits of foaming anger and long diatribes, with which it used as a means to kill its prey.
While we do not yet know the full extent of Minix, it is well studied by previously found fragments, and today's discovery should present a far clearer picture in the years to come as it reveals its secrets.
Meanwhile, paradoxically, no trace has yet to be found of the species known as Bloatasaurus, or Vista Microsoftae. A large, slow-moving creature, this dinosaur was well known to have been a common victim of predatory attacks, and yet very few have been found. Archaeologist Steve Ballmer is heading the team searching for Bloatasaurus, though his peers still doubt his claims that "They're everywhere! It was the most popular friggin' beast alive!" Whether this creature actually existed still remains in doubt among some.
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Ice (Score:1)
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Why imagine the Antarctic at the equator at this time when the original article, the message I posted, and kdawson's editing of this all pointed out that the palaeolatitude of the site at the time of life/ burial of the fossilised organisms was between 55 and 65 degrees. These figures aren't just pulled out of people's arses, you know - in this case it's based on a combination of palaeomagnetic work on dyke swarms throughout the region
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Brontosaurus, thank you (Score:5, Funny)
The name Brontosaurus strikes an image of a colossal behemoth that would crush you to paste if you got in its way.
Apatosaurus sounds like it should be serving you tea cakes.
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just in case: It was called Apatosaurus first and miss named latter.
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Global Warming (Score:1, Informative)
did Al Gore predict this?
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Clever lot, those dinosaurs.
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So just think how much global warming DINO FARTS would have produced!
Seriously, it's no wonder our ancestors never got a break until those polluting beasts kicked the bucket.
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The fossils are presently in the Antarctic ; at the time of life/ burial of these animals, the palaeolatitude is estimated as 55 to 65 degrees S, an interval which covers the Falkland Islands/ Islas Malvinas (notoriously covered in sheep), a fair amount of Argentine pampas (with cattle and some agriculture), Tierra del Fuego (barely habitable), and some of the West Antarctic Peninsula (uninhabited) ; in a continental climate setting, the interval from Edmonton (Cana
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thanks though
And they rocked out to... (Score:4, Funny)
My, my, my, my dino hits me so hard
Makes me say oh my word
Thank you for proving me
With a mind to dig and two cold feet
Feels good when you know you're down
A superdope therapod from the oldtown
And I'm known
as such
And this is a beat uh you can touch
The sauropod has been named Glacialisaurus hammeri (the reason for the genus name is obvious, and Professor Hammer led the field expeditions under 'extremely difficult conditions')
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How great is that ! Almost sounds like a comic book villian.
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I have a vague memory that it was. One of Captain America's occasional foes, if my memory is serving me right.
Incorrect (Score:2)
At that time the climate in the area between 55 and 65 degrees south was not that of today's Falkland Islands. The world was several degrees warmer.
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My original posting put the comparable region as between the Falklands and part of the West Antarctic Peninsula (via Tierra del Fuego) ; that covers quite a few degrees of change.
In a European comparison, compare Central England and Norway just south of the Arctic Circle.
My theory ... (Score:2)
... is that it was narrow at one end, big in the middle and narrow at the other end.
That is the theory which is mine. It is my theory, belonging to me.
I'm glad they're finding the dinosaurs.. (Score:2)
Of course, they will get loose just as the predator aliens are returning for a hunting expedition. Then we will need Sigorny Weaver AND Arnold Schwarzennager to defeat them and stop them from turning the entire human population into baby food.
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Correction (Score:2)
should be:
"becuase they have misunderstood the first half of a book "
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Re:Pop goes the theory (Score:5, Insightful)
"This was probably due to the fact that major connections between the continents still existed at that time, and because climates were more equitable across latitudes than they are today," Smith said.
Can we just go one discussion without bringing up global warming? While it's midly related, this is more about Pangaea and where Antarctica was 190 million years ago.
"climates were more equitable across latitudes" (Score:2)
Sure, it is easy to understand that Antarctica might have been closer to the equator and moved, but if the atmosphere etc was the same as todays (or similar) then surely the global climate would have been similar to todays and the polar bits (that have moved out of the way now) would have been frozen, as they are today.
So the big question: what is so different bad then that allows such sweeping statements to be made?
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The planet sat at an entirely different angle on it's axis - placing areas we now consider 'poles' much closer to what would have been near equatorial.
But then some other area would have been polar (Score:2)
Even if the angle was the same (eg end on), the same would still hold true.
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Re:"climates were more equitable across latitudes" (Score:4, Informative)
The same mechanisms that are said to cause globabl warming today; CO2 levels for earth peaked in the triassic period at about 3000ppm (currently at 381ppm, under 300ppm pre-industrial revolution). The higher CO2 levels led to higher levels of water vapor, and the two together made earth a big greenhouse.
Reference [bris.ac.uk]
On a bit of a tangent, I saw an interesting documentary about four years ago where a group of scientists tried to deduce of all the things needed for life on earth, what would run out first. They came to the conclusion that CO2 levels would continue to fall, till Earth became incapable of supporting plant life, and as a result any higher life form.
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It wasn't.
Re:"climates were more equitable across latitudes" (Score:4, Informative)
Actually no. The only reason we have ice at the poles is because we are coming out of an ice age. There have only been four known ice ages in the planets history and outside of these (which is the vast majority of the time) the planet, even at the poles and highest latitudes has been ice free.
The planet has ben changing from completely ice covered to completely ice free long before people ever showed up.
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According to Wikipedia [wikipedia.org], the last glacial period ended 12,000 years ago.
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That's just according to convention. They define the end of a glacial period to the point where the glaciers no longer cover the seas. That doesn't mean the glaciers halt receeding.
The glaciers and polar caps we have are the remnents of the last glacial period, so I'd say it is essentially correct to say we are at the end of the last ice age.
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I'm not sure how this has anything to do with global warming at all, much less whether it is good or bad for life on earth. When those dinosaurs were roaming around Antarctica it wasn't Antarctica at all - the continents weren't anywhere near where they are. The ice and snow came much later. So whatever global climate conditions we have today have very little to do with dinosaur remains and where they're
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Re:That's impossible (Score:5, Funny)
Out!
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Well that's why they found dinosaur *bones* and not living dinosaurs!
Duh...
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And I'm in the Southern Hemisphere. We're having record heat here in Australia as well as droughts. Winters are weaker, summers longer and hotter. Sydney is getting Brisbane's weather, Melbourne is getting Sydney's and Hobart is getting Melbourne's.
Antarctic ice increasing? Tell that to the Ross Ice Shelf.
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You make a very good point. Statistically it is unlikely that today's global temperature is "normal" for our epoch, and that normal baseline almost certainly has changed in the past 10's of millions of years and will continue to change on that same timescale into the future.
That said, the discussion and concern about "global warming" has nothing to do with what's "normal" for the planet. The concern is for effects that occur too quickly for our societies to adapt without massive disruption and accompany
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A speaker at last month's conference on "South Atlantic Petroleum Systems", where Antarctica was the "elephant seal in the room which no one mentioned", summarised the prospectivity of Antarctica thus : "Don't drill on an Archean shield (East Antarctica); don't drill in an active volcanic island arc (West Antarctica/ Antarctic Peninsula) ; and for the remaining area, where there ar
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It was a joke, because, commercial exploitation of Antarctica is presently illegal.
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I know that you were joking, and why.
:
I wasn't joking, and this is why
In case you hadn't guessed, I work in the industry. The industry is examining the question of "IF we got permission to look, whe
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In case you hadn't guessed, I work in the industry.
I gathered that, and I apologize for the sharp comment back. It was rude of me and am I'm sorry.
So, really, if I had a navy of my own to defend my claims, plus, a gen 6 or 7, drilling rig, then I could hire you for a $1000 a day? It seems that, for that kind of money - we're talking billions here, really.
Now, here's the question. That kind of money could also drop a probe into an asteroid and do a return mission as well.
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I didn't even notice there was an edge to the comment.
If you needed the navy to "defend your claim", then it would be pretty obvious that even you didn't believe your claim of legality. So I wouldn't touch your business with a 10
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And at this time of night I can't remember the appropriate HTML entities.
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Christ almighty. If Halliburton was hiring programmers in Iraq at that rate, I would go there immediately. That kind of money is the worth the risk of my life. If I live, it means my son is guaranteed an excellent education. Hell, for that kind of money, I could put my brother in law's kids through college too, and he went to Iraq for a hell of a l
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Your life, your choice. If you die, then your son grows up as the orphan of someone who died for someone else's money. Pay stops on the day of your death, and you only get paid for days in-country.
I thought for quite a time about the $1000 a day offer (and again over the increased offers). I thought about my newly married wife and her daughter. I thought about the various times I've had machi
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