tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24622984284007223482024-03-05T23:24:44.484-08:00DinoblogWelcome to the go-to resource for your dino pix "fix" and all things Dinosaur (in fact, all things prehistoric!). This site is dedicated to presenting exclusive, new, state-of-the-art and state-of-the-science paleontological illustrations, prehistoric life-restorations, and graphic scientific visualizations. 2D and 3D stills and animations are accompanied by informational narratives, as well as exclusive scientific news feeds, articles and special projects. Enjoy the Dino show!!!
Dinobloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355230876222551497noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462298428400722348.post-3222247176001683202017-06-30T23:51:00.001-07:002017-07-01T00:31:49.836-07:00Summer Sails<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXHRNmESLlE9TkhuSRWsikuP1hMmKtPu7Okc67Q0-cDGlVaXjO0sKvO3oxm4Kz5Hq7V_liOYMrycRnUNCdNuZYSwJ2iYKBt7iVP4Qty0ZZEBqS0F7N4-ERHNISdrDDOW3-TgGitGMHgSq7/s1600/spinosaurus_dinogallery_6_30_2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="547" height="608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXHRNmESLlE9TkhuSRWsikuP1hMmKtPu7Okc67Q0-cDGlVaXjO0sKvO3oxm4Kz5Hq7V_liOYMrycRnUNCdNuZYSwJ2iYKBt7iVP4Qty0ZZEBqS0F7N4-ERHNISdrDDOW3-TgGitGMHgSq7/s640/spinosaurus_dinogallery_6_30_2017.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Dino Cam freezes <i>Spinosaurus </i>splashing in a wet and sultry summer seaway scene, circa 100 million years ago in what is now northern Africa. During the Cretaceous Period, this region was a wet swamp environment, in stark contrast to the dry, sandy landscape of today. <br /><br />Waterways were the preferred home and supermarket of <i>Spinosaurus</i>, and it spent as much time as possible in the water to feed and stay cool. The huge sail riding the back of <i>Spinosaurus </i>may have served as a "cooling fin", maintained above the waterline to catch breezes, in addition to being a "billboard" promoting its presence (warning off rivals or flashing colors to attract mates).<br /></span><br />
<br />
<div>
<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;" />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Dinobloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355230876222551497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462298428400722348.post-61361776760368958252017-05-31T23:58:00.002-07:002017-06-01T04:59:38.664-07:00The Wings of Dinosaurs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeNdLyHL5RaFVNc2zoqrK66L_2_XLLRwE4VUJo_mrS3P2zvrhBQrzUWxZkPZ5mO5MLsif1ZuphiHh4BGKrWp3AnsjouhhSO2bVFX7bWHwEsivz0QP1_aH3eQtkoVvWhQCgOmsTkDq1MFt_/s1600/dinoapp_hypsilophodon_forest_2016_feather_headcrest_fullcrop_update2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="429" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeNdLyHL5RaFVNc2zoqrK66L_2_XLLRwE4VUJo_mrS3P2zvrhBQrzUWxZkPZ5mO5MLsif1ZuphiHh4BGKrWp3AnsjouhhSO2bVFX7bWHwEsivz0QP1_aH3eQtkoVvWhQCgOmsTkDq1MFt_/s1600/dinoapp_hypsilophodon_forest_2016_feather_headcrest_fullcrop_update2.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />Dinobloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355230876222551497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462298428400722348.post-78123106161334437082017-04-29T23:51:00.003-07:002017-04-30T03:17:41.191-07:00Re-Viewing Dinosaurs Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkP7nQTqLODrydBgCQfnitaRKKebPQXZmeICn1GB7LsFF8DW68KTRe_x-wYqek1EgEYbHPUDAsqF4zwUlphO0i3DtFOdJ3z996fl4BAVnldlYTNoRLgssoslk6Iek_lQEjWpu04Ora1Hxx/s1600/megalosauropus_broomensis_footprint_western_australia_x_romilio_et_al_2017.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkP7nQTqLODrydBgCQfnitaRKKebPQXZmeICn1GB7LsFF8DW68KTRe_x-wYqek1EgEYbHPUDAsqF4zwUlphO0i3DtFOdJ3z996fl4BAVnldlYTNoRLgssoslk6Iek_lQEjWpu04Ora1Hxx/s640/megalosauropus_broomensis_footprint_western_australia_x_romilio_et_al_2017.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">3D scan of a Megalosauropus broomensis footprint, Western Australia (Romilio et al 2017)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In the previous post, advances in 3D imaging in paleontological research were examined from the perspective of the origins of laser scanning technology. In the 20 years following its inception, the laser scanning of fossils was focused on evolving and improving the means of laser scanning and 3D imaging fossils. In this post, we look at how the 3D image capturing process - now technically quite sophisticated - has achieved sufficient success that researchers are free to focus on innovations in applying the 3D imaging process in novel new ways. <br /><br />Of particular interest is the recent merging of 3D image capturing with flying drone aircraft. This process involves the use of remote controlled drones to carry out laser-scanning operations of fossils in remote locations, in some cases too inaccessible to accomplish in-person. <br /><br />The "fossils" in question are fossil footprints, or trackways, of dinosaurs and other creatures, found in large numbers along the northwest coast of Australia.<br /><br />Along the red cliffs of the Kimberley region of Australia, hundreds of footprints have been discovered. The three toed, birdlike prints of bi-pedal theropods and elephantine impressions of giant quadrupedal sauropods are represented, as well as other animal groups. The trackways are imbedded in rocks dated to 130 million years ago, when Australia was part of the early Cretaceous landscape of the supercontinent </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">of Gondwana, as it began splitting into the modern continents of Africa, South America, India, Antarctica, and Australia.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /><br />Today, the cliffs are being chiseled away by the relentlessly pounding waves of the Indian Ocean. Not only does the remote location pose an obstacle to laser scanning the fossil site, but the tenuous proximity to the ocean creates an urgency to digitally documenting the trackways before they are lost forever.<br /><br />There's no need to fear: the flying drones are here. In a brilliant convergence of necessity, researchers have devised a plan to map the trackways in their entirety with high-resolution photography and laser-mounted remotely-guided drones for the most inaccessible areas, while using specialized hand-held portable scanners for more accessible portions. Lidar, a common method of using lasers to map geograhical terrain for commercial and research purposes, was utilized here to measure the shape and depth of the foot impressions.<br /><br />The team, led by Anthony Romilio of the Vertebrate Palaeontology and Biomechanics Lab at the University of Queensland, created duplicate 3D models of the track sites via use of the drones, as well as manned light aircraft and ground-based reconnaissance. The recovered 3D data permanently archives the footprints in pixel-perfect three dimensional relief, and can be adapted for display and research purposes, as needed. <br /><br />No new technology was created in this project. Flying drone aircraft, laser scanning and digital 3D modeling are all previously existing technologies. What is new is the coordinated application of these technologies toward resolving unique problems.<br /><br />Anthony Romilio and his team digitally rescued and saved over 70 remote trackway sites at risk of destruction via their innovative, high-tech solution to the environmental challenges of accessing and mapping the coastal footprints. This ground-breaking application of already-existing technology is a procedural breakthrough that surely will be adapted for use by other researchers in the future. <br /><br />Romilio's team published their digital approach in the journal PeerJ in March, 2017.</span>Dinobloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355230876222551497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462298428400722348.post-18908393873859841042017-03-31T23:51:00.002-07:002017-04-01T03:41:03.070-07:00Re-Viewing Dinosaurs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPVeCs6Lkn1TCeI1HWcSLKeEYUX7Eg6pdUbond90VR3xJORZ0LOeD1OCjmXYB6LslvlR9-pzpdB2L0lZA0MJhGtdwxemYKMGMrCd2yK3DYrdhuTobEvfe_yaq49zBqCSmo3d6miQb8nKuv/s1600/lasers_mapping_dino_anatomy_tweet_2_28_2017_larger_trimmed.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPVeCs6Lkn1TCeI1HWcSLKeEYUX7Eg6pdUbond90VR3xJORZ0LOeD1OCjmXYB6LslvlR9-pzpdB2L0lZA0MJhGtdwxemYKMGMrCd2yK3DYrdhuTobEvfe_yaq49zBqCSmo3d6miQb8nKuv/s640/lasers_mapping_dino_anatomy_tweet_2_28_2017_larger_trimmed.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">The wing of the bird-like feathered Anchiornis dinosaur under laser-stimulated fluorescence. The folds of skin in front of the elbow and behind the wrist (called patagia) were covered in feathers, just like in modern living birds. Photo by Wang XL, Pittman M et al., Nature Communications, 2017</span>.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />Several major advances in dinosaur research have been announced over the past several weeks. Two of the announcements are discussed in this blog, via two posts. This is the first post:<br /><br />In February 2017, news broke regarding the application of special lasers to scan actual fossils still embedded in the surrounding matrix (<i>Basal paravian functional anatomy illuminated by high-detail body outline; Nature Communications, February 28, 2017; Nature.com March 1, 2017</i>). </span><div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There is nothing new about scanning fossil bones with lasers. In the 90's, research involving the "digitization" of fossils was in its infancy, with the first serious "breakthrough" attempts exploring the possible use of lasers to scan bones to obtain data sets that, in turn, were used to create 3D models. In fact, I was involved in some of that work, with a team applying high-end laser scanning tests to the selected bones of the famous "Sue" <i>Tyrannosaurus rex</i>, in the mid 1990s. This was a major breakthrough, being among the first applications of 3D laser scanning technology to hard-core dinosaur science. Until then, 3D imaging was limited to Hollywood special effects labs and industrial design. The scans of "Sue" eventually led to the first 3D laser scan modeling of an entire dinosaur for the Smithsonian Institution.<br /><br />These "early" 3D scans were done using lasers mounted on various forms of moving trackways, that circumnavigated the bone being scanned while shining a laser beam on the fossil along the way, until the entire specimen was digitally mapped. This equipment was rare, expensive to obtain and complicated to use. At the time, no dinosaur department had such equipment, and they lacked the expertise to use the tools. Any researcher wishing to laser scan a specimen had to out-source for the hardware, software and expertise.<br /><br />Over the next 10 years however, this expensive process of outsourcing for "outside" laser scanners became replaced by researchers opting to use already existing laser scanning tools, in the form of CT scanners, that were already being used in nearby university medical departments or hospitals. This became a convenient, cost effective and efficient method of obtaining high-quality 3D scans by dino researchers, without the hassle and overhead. Paleontologists no longer had to concern themselves with the equipment - they merely had to book time on the nearest hospital scanner, and bring a fossil along. And, being a medical grade diagnostic tool, the hospital CT scanner provided better results than the earlier, outsourced type of laser scanner - a substantial win-win for dinosaur researchers.<br /><br />Today, this remains the common process for obtaining 3D laser scans of fossils, without much deviation. And it works exceptionally well for scanning and digitizing the surface of a fossil, to capture and preserve in digital format the external form of a fossil. <br /><br />But a new breakthrough has occurred with a recent laser scanning project. In February, a team headed by Xiaoli Wang and Michael Pittman announced stunning results when applying lasers of a particular frequency to fossils - with a twist: the fossils being scanned were still embedded in the surrounding rock matrix they were discovered in. The fossils were of a small, feathered dinosaur discovered in China named <i>Anchiornis huxleyi</i>. Almost by accident, by scanning fossils not yet pried out of the matrix, the lasers revealed subtle details never seen before. This aspect was partnered with the fact that a new breed of laser was being used, based on different wavelengths than was used by previous lasers and involving a unique new process of scanning, enabling soft-tissued details to be seen - for the first time. <br /><br />The new scanning process incorporated in this work is called "laser-stimulated fluorescence" (LSF). It involves sweeping non-destructive laser light across a specimen while taking long-exposure photographs with a digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera. “The laser ‘excites’ the few skin atoms left in the matrix, making them glow, to reveal what the shape of the dinosaur actually looked like,” according to Michael Pittman, a University of Hong Kong paleontologist and one of the study’s lead authors, in an interview with PBS NewsHour writer Kristin Hugo.<br /><br />Using the new laser wavelengths on fossils still embedded in the rock matrix, previously invisible outlines of skin and feathers become dramatically visible. For the first time, we can vividly see the actual contours of soft skin boundaries and detailed outlines of feathers of an entire forelimb, and their exact relationship to the underlying bones. Even the "toeprints" of the feet are presented in sharp detail.<br /><br />In fact, the results immediately presented a feature not known before on a dinosaur: the arm scan of <i>Anchiornis </i>by this team shows that at least this species of small feathered dinosaur had a triangular "patagial membrane" (wing membrane) along the anterior aspect of the elbow. The patagium is a type of skin "webbing" along the forward part of the arm, between the humerus (upper arm) and radius/ulna (lower arm) - something only seen on modern flying birds. From now on, any accurate life illustration of this dinosaur must show this feature, along with the feathers and other details, as revealed through these new scans...<br /><br />The results are like looking at a shadow silhouette of the animal when alive. We now have actual evidence for how dinosaurs actually looked in life - how the integument draped their bones. This will go a long way in enabling more accurate illustrations of dinosaurs - we still don't know much about how they were colored (although we are getting more clues about that, as well*), but as more and more of these kinds of scans are done, scientists and artists will increasingly have actual "facts" on which to base their restorations on. <br /><br />Wang and Pittman et al, are proceeding to scan more fossils using this novel new approach, and will surely encounter more exciting surprises along the way.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">*In fact, previous research has led to some conclusions on the coloration of this species: <i>Anchiornis </i>apparently was adorned with black and white patterns and a red tuft on its head.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></div>
Dinobloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355230876222551497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462298428400722348.post-35638917051543396922017-02-28T17:06:00.003-08:002017-02-28T17:06:31.417-08:00Dino Cam: Ceratosaurus<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiJ2pV0_pMxbbTy9Z9rU1hVXTbPq4Z00N3-c1324zIcoUZ7exqUJTSrNpOj-u0z1VwtUdDMzWIS0IlsDMzdOUbGEP7kNcYpETsXGc9NIoC8sn9WsRb_cX32F6k51ixtlD5k-W2QylLnOhw/s1600/ceratosaurus_fight_head_update_feb_2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="606" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiJ2pV0_pMxbbTy9Z9rU1hVXTbPq4Z00N3-c1324zIcoUZ7exqUJTSrNpOj-u0z1VwtUdDMzWIS0IlsDMzdOUbGEP7kNcYpETsXGc9NIoC8sn9WsRb_cX32F6k51ixtlD5k-W2QylLnOhw/s640/ceratosaurus_fight_head_update_feb_2017.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
The Dino Cam zooms in on a contentious <i>Ceratosaurus </i>meetup, circa 153 to 148 million years ago. This apex predator of the <i>Jurassic Period </i>inhabited the regions known today as the Morrison Formation of western North America and the Lourinhã Formation of Portugal, as well as possibly the Tendaguru Formation in Tanzania.</span><div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Dinobloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355230876222551497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462298428400722348.post-67496418029469131852017-01-28T16:12:00.001-08:002017-01-28T16:12:23.298-08:00<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13.696px;">Happy Lunar New Year! It's the year of the dino - uh, that is, rooster (which is a dino...)</span>Dinobloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355230876222551497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462298428400722348.post-4937724603647001202016-12-28T02:43:00.003-08:002016-12-28T02:44:55.439-08:00Jurassic Solstice<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgfxEv2W0qxqUOouWuPhRh5Ibdj3-EaG8Pqzw14x3An6NF3FOLmfjFY0wgwnMvyRtK-HBhG06MuyCtMQBf6LWsyx4epjXtogkceNWzISp6FbVr_xRyh2eZPcBu129Mqdd_zBLUoPSKMEHj/s1600/seismo%252Bstars_gallery_temp_trimmed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgfxEv2W0qxqUOouWuPhRh5Ibdj3-EaG8Pqzw14x3An6NF3FOLmfjFY0wgwnMvyRtK-HBhG06MuyCtMQBf6LWsyx4epjXtogkceNWzISp6FbVr_xRyh2eZPcBu129Mqdd_zBLUoPSKMEHj/s640/seismo%252Bstars_gallery_temp_trimmed.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
The Dino Cam captures <i>Diplodocus</i> under a North American <i>Jurassic</i> winter solstice evening sky</span>Dinobloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355230876222551497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462298428400722348.post-60081249431003918292016-11-30T22:51:00.002-08:002016-12-18T03:18:50.065-08:00Desert Dino Duel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTdS5997lIrTOgiZ9aTgEbe5ooq9AI4WZuaJMDBHxYgeJwIUVI_tjUn7o3GBaDh1mZ-0vN2yEUf5bHPiCdjeVuqfHt1K6WjRsfJtPPEqYaulIS6bA3BiZ1s3eEa6Lk0HKjTXOAKdzB5aFe/s1600/veloc%252Bproto_feathered_cropped%252Bblur.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTdS5997lIrTOgiZ9aTgEbe5ooq9AI4WZuaJMDBHxYgeJwIUVI_tjUn7o3GBaDh1mZ-0vN2yEUf5bHPiCdjeVuqfHt1K6WjRsfJtPPEqYaulIS6bA3BiZ1s3eEa6Lk0HKjTXOAKdzB5aFe/s1600/veloc%252Bproto_feathered_cropped%252Bblur.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />In stark contrast to the previous post, discussing a cool yet lush prehistoric polar environment, our Dino Cam now focuses on the hot, sandy desert of Mesozoic Mongolia.<br /><br />Seen here is a dino duel between two desert denizens, <i>Velociraptor </i>and <i>Protoceratops</i>.<br /><br />In this case, the predator, <i>Velociraptor</i>, may have overestimated it's chances against the "vegi-saurus" ceratopsian, <i>Protoceratops</i>.<br /><br />This scenario is based on fact: such a clash was preserved forever when an apparent desert sand dune fell on the sparring pair in mid fight, trapping and killing them both in what is now Mongolia.<br /><br />The fossils capture the over-reaching <i>Velociraptor </i>with an arm being crushed in the vice-grip clamp of a closed <i>Protoceratops </i>jaw. There's no doubt that the peaceful <i>Protoceratops </i>was attacked by the <i>Velociraptor</i>, but the struggle clearly shows how the <i>Protoceratops </i>was not entirely defenseless: by chomping down on the arm of the attacker with it's powerful beaked jaw, it literally had the "upper hand" in the fight, and likely would've rendered the <i>Velociraptor </i>incapable of continuing the tussle.<br /><br />Had the pair not both perished under the fallen dune, the <i>Protoceratops </i>(the "victim") would have decisively won this battle, while the <i>Velociraptor </i>(the bully) would have eventually died, either from loss of blood or unable to capture prey, as a result of its broken arm.<br /><br />Who would have thought of this outcome between the fierce <i>Velociraptor </i>and easy-going <i>Protoceratops </i>- quite contrary to expectations.<br /><br />In this case, the bully lost to the victim.</span>Dinobloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355230876222551497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462298428400722348.post-24215757257903703632016-10-30T00:03:00.004-07:002016-10-31T05:00:32.646-07:00Cretaceous Fall Foliage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMvf8JK_Ssc9T8QIFl_tGZNnjElZfXpvPc1yZ37Sab9uWnnsrqkg1lmqq1kDgCfigKFBwkFjp2i7Knwy1HYM19E_aN1Awt-RHnF7Bg641WplAu8ofgTvXkZn1k_ynvQmuHbLWic1Hsdas/s1600/blog_fall_foliage%252Bpachyrhino_oct_2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="445" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMvf8JK_Ssc9T8QIFl_tGZNnjElZfXpvPc1yZ37Sab9uWnnsrqkg1lmqq1kDgCfigKFBwkFjp2i7Knwy1HYM19E_aN1Awt-RHnF7Bg641WplAu8ofgTvXkZn1k_ynvQmuHbLWic1Hsdas/s640/blog_fall_foliage%252Bpachyrhino_oct_2016.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">A possible Cretaceous polar scene with Pachyrhinosaurus and changing fall colored foliage</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While things are heating up and days are lengthening in the southern hemisphere, in the northern latitudes daylight hours are waning and the leaves of deciduous trees are turning to a riot of reds and gold hues. For only several weeks this vivid palette of the deciduous (non-evergreen) northern forests will delight the populations of America, Europe and Asia.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then the leaves will fall, as the trees prepare to hibernate through the scant light and mighty chill of winter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Although a magnificent spectacle to experience, today we take this annual ritual for granted. But it begs the question: did dinosaurs experience a similar annual rite of nature? Did prehistoric creatures witness foliage changing colors and shedding leaves?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Many modern plant species got their evolutionary start during the Mesozoic Era. Species of magnolia, laurel, sycamore, and redwood trees are known from the Cretaceous Period. And the gingko tree hails from before the first appearance of dinosaurs, with fossil species found in Permian deposits.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However, Permian and Mesozoic climates were warmer than today, with less variation between the equator and polar regions. Polar environments were not frozen. And the fossil record indicates that the prehistoric ancestors of modern trees were evergreen. Even trees that today are deciduous (annually shed their leaves) had not yet evolved the leaf-shedding process during the age of the dinosaurs, as exemplified by the sycamore family, which today is largely deciduous, but had evergreen dinosaur-era ancestors.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But wait a minute! Although earth's climate was much more mild when dinosaurs roamed, the earth had the same tilt relative to the sun as it has today. The tilt of the earth is the cause of the seasons, and as a result, the dinosaurs' realm did experience seasonal changes. During dinosaur seasons, temperature changes were less than experienced today, but the changes in the amount of daylight - the changing length of days - was virtually identical to today's daylight.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Trees didn't evolve forms that shed their leaves due to changes in temperature, but in response to seasonal changes in the amount of daylight available for leaves to conduct photosynthesis: deciduous (leaf shedding) trees evolved to accommodate the 3 months of reduced daylight during winter months. During the Mesozoic, the tree species that evolved to drop leaves and live a "modern" deciduous lifestyle evolved at the most northern and southern latitudes as a response to extended seasonal lack of sunlight.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Unlike today, where deciduous species are dominant throughout the "temperate" latitudes of the the United States, Canada, Europe, South America and asia; during the Age of Dinosaurs deciduous species only occurred at the most extreme latitudes - areas that experience total darkness several weeks of the year. This includes regions represented today by northern most Alaska, Scandinavia, Siberia; and Antarctica in the south.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Contrary to "old school" theories, we now know that dinosaurs lived in the polar regions. Polar zones were not frozen barrens during the Mesozoic, but were more similar to the cool, moist environments of modern coastal British Columbia and northwestern Washington State. Discoveries of "polar dinosaurs" that inhabited the extreme latitudes now suggest that, in fact, many dinosaurs DID witness seasonal color displays, as polar deciduous trees evolved to drop their leaves in the company of dinosaurs sharing the polar environment during dark winter months. In fact, the changing of colors may have helped signal the advent of winter to dinosaurs - who are thought to have mostly possessed excellent color vision - to prepare for the approaching dark months: either gather your herd and migrate to more sunlit climates, or get into hibernation mode.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Prehistoric ancestors of the modern deciduous forms of the sycamore tree were widely distributed throughout the polar regions of the Cretaceous Period. In fact, the prehistoric sycamore may have evolved a deciduous lifestyle as a direct response to occupying environments with extreme seasonal variations in sunlight. And, accompanied by an unknown visual symphony of additional plant species, the sycamore may have been just one among many prehistoric tree forms that did regale dinosaurs with an annual visual feast of seasonal changes.....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However, due to a relatively uniform global warmth, the polar regions may have been the only areas that experienced such seasonal fluctuations: everywhere beyond the polar zones - that is, most of the Mesozoic realm, would have been dominated by a dizzying variety of evergreen foliage that never seasonally changed color or dropped leaves. Fortunately, we do have good modern relatives of many plant forms that evolved in the Mesozoic, and can therefore determine the likely lifestyles and appearances of the extinct versions.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />Dinobloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355230876222551497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462298428400722348.post-12526065381805911842016-09-29T05:49:00.001-07:002016-12-21T20:55:09.701-08:00Saving Today's Dinos<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /><br />Dino fans everywhere wish that dinosaurs were still with us - how spectacular that would be! A fundamental aspect of the eternal fascination with dinosaurs is the nearly unbelievable fact that such fantastic creatures actually existed - yet, sadly, are no longer with us. It's a tragic irony that even as we obsess about extinct dinosaurs - even conjuring best-selling books and movies fantasizing the possibilities of resurrecting them (<i>Jurassic Park</i>...), we could soon lose forever two of the modern day giants that most closely echo the dinosaurs = the rhinoceros and elephant. Unless extraordinary action is taken, we may witness the extinction of these magnificent creatures in our lifetime - leaving future generations to experience rhinos and elephants only in museums - just as extinct as the dinosaurs....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />Rhinos and elephants represent two of the closest modern ecological "analogies" to two of the largest dinosaur groups:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />The Rhinoceros: today's largest "horned" animal is strongly analogous to the prehistoric horned "ceratopsians", represented by the likes of <i>Triceratops, Centrosaurus, Styracosaurus.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />The Elephant: today's most massive land animal is analogous to the most massive prehistoric land animal, the long necked "sauropods", famously represented by <i>Apatosaurus, Argentinosaurus, Brontosaurus, Diplodocus, Mamenchisaurus, Seismosaurus.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx5GLbhk_11lEnMXLnoCOle7gw8LnDI3pu3rarSpskIFuAi_VAGW3XGwrHDIbGTg3kSP5mDf_7iMPPnBh0ThJ_6pJqxHTT6hHZTIU403-3l2KmpU4J6-X-a7sPb4jKHB1UiO00CCFgNQzu/s1600/styracosaurus_with_rhino_same_eco_niche.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx5GLbhk_11lEnMXLnoCOle7gw8LnDI3pu3rarSpskIFuAi_VAGW3XGwrHDIbGTg3kSP5mDf_7iMPPnBh0ThJ_6pJqxHTT6hHZTIU403-3l2KmpU4J6-X-a7sPb4jKHB1UiO00CCFgNQzu/s640/styracosaurus_with_rhino_same_eco_niche.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">A prehistoric horned dinosaur, <i>Styracosaurus </i>(left) compared to a modern horned "dinosaur", the black rhinoceros (not to scale: <i>Styracosaurus</i> was 30% larger than a modern rhino)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Modern rhinos occupy the same ecological niche as did the horned ceratopsians of the Mesozoic period, and possess similar anatomy: herbivorous, massive bodied, stout legged quadrupeds specialized for grazing low, ground-based vegetation. The large single or double nasal horn of rhinos is used primarily for combat with rival rhinos, just as the horns of ceratopsian dinosaurs were likely used in engagements between rivals of the same species. However, just as rhinos will not hesitate to also use their horns as potentially lethal weapons against foolish predators, such as lions; ceratopsian dinos likely also used their horns to fend-off predators, such as tyrannosaurs, if provoked.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />Modern elephants occupy the same ecological niche as did the enormous "vegisaurus" sauropods of the Mesozoic period: both represent the largest land animals of their respective times, herbivorous with enormous guts and special adaptations for browsing mid to high-level foliage (trees), quadrupedal with massive, tree-like limbs. The feet of sauropods are so structurally similar to those of elephants that they are often referred to as being "elephant-like" or "elephantine".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />In effect, the sauropods took the elephant body-plan to the next level: like elephants on steroids. Huge torsos evolved to contain enormous "guts", or stomachs. In the case of the long-necked, massive-bodied sauropods, large stomachs were an advantage, due to the poor nutritional quality of much of the Mesozoic vegetation. Sauropods needed to eat and store a LOT of vegetation in order to obtain sufficient nutrition: high quantity to compensate for low quality. The evolutionary solution was the huge stomach, which in turn manifested a massive body to house it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As bodies became ever larger, sauropod necks became longer to access more food sources with less energy: it's easier to move a neck - like a crane - than having to move an entire, gigantic body, to reach food. For prehistoric sauropod dinosaurs, evolving long necks was a specialization to access food without engaging their excessively large bodies. Similarly, elephants evolved long trunks as a specialization to reach sources of food without engaging their excessively large bodies. Voila! Almost identical solutions to similar problems (gigantism), </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">but achieved via two very different anatomical devices: the modern long trunk </span><br />and the prehistoric long neck.<br /><br />And that elephant trunk! Elephant trunks can reach 7 feet in length. Not only can elephants raise their long trunks to reach high foliage, they can also rear up onto their hind legs to reach even higher foliage. With a 7 foot trunk raised and a body length averaging 18-21 feet in length, the reach of an adult African elephant standing on its hind legs can reach leaves well over 20 feet above the ground - exceeding even the reach of the giraffe - the world's tallest animal in natural pose (not standing on hind legs!).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />The tallest giraffes can attain heights over 19 feet at the top of their horns. Unfortunately, this third living "dinosaur" giant - the giraffe - is also on a path to extinction. A recent report by the Red List of Endangered Species has found a decline of 40% in the population of remaining giraffes in the wild since the 1980s; the result of a "silent extinction" caused by a combination of illegal hunting and ongoing increases in African farmland.<br /> <br />Due to their long necks, giraffes are the modern animal most commonly compared to the long necked dinosaurs, the sauropods. And this is justified, since the long necks and vegetarian lifestyle of giraffes are very similar to the neck physiology and diets of sauropods. But the relatively thin and lanky legs of giraffes are nothing like the heavy "tree-trunk" limbs of sauropod dinosaurs. It's the elephant that has the heft of body and massive legs most closely matching the sauropods. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And with its long trunk, the vegetarian elephant completes the elephant-sauropod analogy, since the extraordinary length of the trunk functionally mimics the long necks of the sauropods, in reaching foliage far above the ground. And for that matter, ON the ground: the tall stature of both elephants and sauropod dinosaurs share the common problem of not easily reaching the ground for ground-based foliage. Sauropods solved the problem by lowering their long necks, elephants solve the problem by using their long and dangling trunks. In fact, if we could merge the long necks of giraffes with the bodily heft of elephants we would have a true modern analogy to the extinct sauropods - lacking only the long sauropod tail.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />To</span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">day we are faced with the very real possibility of witnessing the extinction of three of today's living "dinosaurs", the rhino, elephant and giraffe. Most horrific of all is the ongoing brutal and barbaric practice of illegal poachers slaughtering rhinos and elephants just for their horns and tusks, respectively. After removing its nasal horn, a rhino is left to succumb to a slow death. And although technically tusks are "just" an elephants elongated teeth, the elephant must be killed to remove the tusks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />Saving these magnificent beasts is a just and urgent cause for its own sake: it's essential to save ANY animal from extinction. Especially if mankind is solely responsible and to blame for a species possible permanent demise.<br /> <br />But, due to the magnificent ecological and anatomical parallels between modern rhinos, elephants and giraffes on one hand, and the extinct dinosaurs on the other hand; saving these modern giants should take on extraordinary significance to dinosaur enthusiasts, fans, followers, and experts alike!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />Please show your support for today's "living dinosaurs" by ending the atrocities...the senseless, brutal slaughter of rhinos and elephants by illegal poachers seeking to supply dubious markets for rhino horns and elephant ivory, in addition to the illegal hunting of giraffes. It's these markets, and the poachers that supply them, that must become extinct!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />On Saturday, September 24, 2016 thousands of participants in over 100 cities around the world joined hearts for the <i>International March for Rhinos and Elephants</i> event.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />For ongoing support, please contact <a href="http://www.96elephants.org/">http://www.96elephants.org/</a></span>Dinobloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355230876222551497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462298428400722348.post-7138086128486229722016-08-31T23:15:00.002-07:002016-09-01T07:59:28.562-07:00Prehistoric Autumn Nights<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnjL8FjRX1zBrcVK6YkcAlZBQBu-StqZY0uMeA8vsZBMQw0TlVSlxRrUMiRI6msCa2DHVAynnoUVJ6NUmPqm4_7Uvvv6i2b8q9rlp4gkUcOsl3MlwC9Mxf5QXBCZIjboviTogprNw30f-A/s1600/eoraptor_under_starry_sky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnjL8FjRX1zBrcVK6YkcAlZBQBu-StqZY0uMeA8vsZBMQw0TlVSlxRrUMiRI6msCa2DHVAynnoUVJ6NUmPqm4_7Uvvv6i2b8q9rlp4gkUcOsl3MlwC9Mxf5QXBCZIjboviTogprNw30f-A/s1600/eoraptor_under_starry_sky.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The early dinosaur, Eoraptor, under autumn stars of 230 million years ago</i></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In its general appearance the prehistoric night sky would look similar as today, filled with countless stars, the moon's changing phases, meteor showers. But specific star positions - such as those making up today's constellations - looked very different. This is because the earth's entire solar system orbits around the center of the Milky Way.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As the earth's solar system travels around the spiral of the Milky Way galaxy (similar to how the earth travels around the sun), its relationship to stars are constantly - albeit slowly - changing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It takes approximately 230 million years for the solar system to complete a trip around the Milky Way galaxy. This means that the dinosaurs of the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods - both less than 230 million years old - had different star patterns than we have today. We can't see the stars as <i>Allosaurus</i>, <i>Triceratops </i>or <i>Tyrannosaurus rex</i> did.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">However, modern eyes CAN witness many of the stars that shined on <i>earlier </i>dinosaurs. Since the solar system, with the earth in it, takes about 230 million years to revolve around the Milky Way, today the earth is in nearly the same position, relative to the Milky Way, as when the earliest dinosaurs were evolving in the Triassic Period, 230 million years ago. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">230 million years ago the earth was populated by early theropod dinosaurs, such as <i>Eoraptor </i>and <i>Herrerasaurus </i>(both of the Late Triassic period, approximately 231.4 million years ago, Western Gondwana, in what is now the northwestern region of Argentina). As a result, it's possible that many of the same constellations that we see today were also hanging over the heads of dinosaurs in the night skies of the Late Triassic.</span>Dinobloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355230876222551497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462298428400722348.post-58402512566977568752016-07-29T17:49:00.003-07:002017-02-10T02:39:24.069-08:00National Park Service Centennial<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbCKwapkdPG2eqek1LIOqKqFhJtl4TUm6vpA94Cgzzzl-pso-mJYmfwcviSyPa4ZpNGfyyYTl_CSKxvagMMx6tRUl3O3YKmbhttB2vPFIVXwzhieu2le1ui2Dxhs8pdT6qRmHtLo_YzVKE/s1600/dinoapp_stegosaurus_posting_crop_fullsize_update_feb_2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbCKwapkdPG2eqek1LIOqKqFhJtl4TUm6vpA94Cgzzzl-pso-mJYmfwcviSyPa4ZpNGfyyYTl_CSKxvagMMx6tRUl3O3YKmbhttB2vPFIVXwzhieu2le1ui2Dxhs8pdT6qRmHtLo_YzVKE/s640/dinoapp_stegosaurus_posting_crop_fullsize_update_feb_2017.jpg" width="553" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Stegosaurus ungulates</i> - a favorite discovery from the Dinosaur National Monument</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It's the middle of the summer in the northern hemisphere. Things are really heating up and the "dog days" of August are just around the corner. It's the heart of vacation-time for many people, and there's no better time to pay a visit to a national park, than on this Centennial celebration of the United States National Park System.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />All national parks are the U.S. "repository" of special areas that preserve and present nature to the public, and as such are natural guardians of geology, flora and fauna; as well as laboratories for ongoing research by experts across many scientific fields.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />And paleontology is well represented. Standing out among all of the parks of the system is Dinosaur National Monument.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />It's the only park of its kind in the world where the general public can see so many dinosaur fossils "in situ" - that is, in their natural state of discovery, embedded in the rocks; as well as reconstructed in the park museum. And these include many of the largest, fiercest and most famous dinosaurs of all time, such as <i>Allosaurus</i>, <i>Apatosaurus</i>, <i>Diplodocus</i>, and <i>Stegosaurus</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />A must-see mecca for any dino fan, Dinosaur National Monument spans large sections of the states of Utah and Colorado. Comprised of Jurassic rocks of the Morrison Formation, the park preserves the exact location of the legendary "Carnegie Quarry", famous for it's role in the great dinosaur "bone wars" of the early 1900s, and responsible for many of the Jurassic dinosaur specimens still on display in the renowned Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />In fact, as one of the world's largest and most important Jurassic Period formations, Dinosaur National Monument is the real-life "Jurassic Park"!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />Kudos to The National Park Service for its outstanding work throughout its entire park system, and in particular, for carrying-on the wishes of Carnegie Quarry discoverer Earl Douglass, who intended for fossil discoveries to be put on public display at the original quarry, instead of shipping everything away.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />So, on behalf of Jurassic dinosaur fans around the world, The Dinoblog wishes The National Park Service a Happy 100th birthday!!!</span>Dinobloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355230876222551497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462298428400722348.post-92208607137843669392016-06-01T04:01:00.003-07:002016-06-02T04:16:17.656-07:00Enjoying Dinos<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">DINOAPP.</span></span></h2>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWsW6ppycSHxm2Kw0w-EfPL6VQd1Ueusezo41XZ0l4JGJe3a4KAH0sX4i9bAr4oqqZRoRk3kg24geoV6xOuwliijOvZaR9GRTKoxQTapS4RzS5wYPFYBcM-ANIPuP-mhEmbDegDHNBPzWt/s1600/dinoapp_usp_combo_pic_3_plus_text_landpagepost--800px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWsW6ppycSHxm2Kw0w-EfPL6VQd1Ueusezo41XZ0l4JGJe3a4KAH0sX4i9bAr4oqqZRoRk3kg24geoV6xOuwliijOvZaR9GRTKoxQTapS4RzS5wYPFYBcM-ANIPuP-mhEmbDegDHNBPzWt/s640/dinoapp_usp_combo_pic_3_plus_text_landpagepost--800px.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div>
Dinobloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355230876222551497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462298428400722348.post-61811922949641185922016-05-31T17:09:00.003-07:002016-06-02T04:16:02.283-07:00Finding Dinos<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large; font-weight: normal;">DINOAPP.</span></h2>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixYk5uk69VQOD32-KBiD8teugUJv8tap41SlFBPrafiqWcp-AOxY4VD_oGrPlWYZK3XQOUEvjZYl5cWqJWzaAgEZneJVzKk5SMIB5vHdrkC0BeoyJGUyYv6AuE2jTMrVeLDJJakCHNiBha/s1600/dinoapp_usp_combo_pic_2%252Bskulltext_final_post_plus_text_2--800px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixYk5uk69VQOD32-KBiD8teugUJv8tap41SlFBPrafiqWcp-AOxY4VD_oGrPlWYZK3XQOUEvjZYl5cWqJWzaAgEZneJVzKk5SMIB5vHdrkC0BeoyJGUyYv6AuE2jTMrVeLDJJakCHNiBha/s640/dinoapp_usp_combo_pic_2%252Bskulltext_final_post_plus_text_2--800px.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
Dinobloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355230876222551497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462298428400722348.post-30360394047678992292016-05-30T22:42:00.000-07:002016-06-02T04:15:44.153-07:00Mapping Dinos<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">DINOAPP</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOIghGtv6mTtlOd4lwO769B5oDf8ROH5ll61gbBnoqlugXLA0i948q46eRyQXRq5cTw7DztzrVsOpMleVs-GVbAg7VF_AYCih9OJoSoo533JCEv55MjftEDJ20u1kDQYrICfyK8OvYbdbp/s1600/dinoapp_usp_combo_pic_1_plus_text--800px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOIghGtv6mTtlOd4lwO769B5oDf8ROH5ll61gbBnoqlugXLA0i948q46eRyQXRq5cTw7DztzrVsOpMleVs-GVbAg7VF_AYCih9OJoSoo533JCEv55MjftEDJ20u1kDQYrICfyK8OvYbdbp/s640/dinoapp_usp_combo_pic_1_plus_text--800px.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
Dinobloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355230876222551497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462298428400722348.post-53439652899850445522016-04-29T05:09:00.000-07:002016-04-29T05:09:41.739-07:003D Portal<div style="text-align: center;">
WELCOME TO THE PREHISTORIC REALM OF 3D PRINTING!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-u5Yx6W8bpYhC2fI4DeH0_PPX9JLhkyFHL7xIa4ToynITa0_QP-7uKpFySlU-TgnUYyUY2zdZpB2GkwoE18obN1Ze-kISeFPEvhJiTm7fIEV-423rca8aO_bUFtPXxqf-bF_mRu7awrA/s1600/dinoapp_sellfy_3D_portal_main_page_title%252Blogo%252Bshadow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-u5Yx6W8bpYhC2fI4DeH0_PPX9JLhkyFHL7xIa4ToynITa0_QP-7uKpFySlU-TgnUYyUY2zdZpB2GkwoE18obN1Ze-kISeFPEvhJiTm7fIEV-423rca8aO_bUFtPXxqf-bF_mRu7awrA/s640/dinoapp_sellfy_3D_portal_main_page_title%252Blogo%252Bshadow.jpg" width="547" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Click on this link to be transported through the 3D Portal:</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3dportal.metrics4d.com/">http://3dportal.metrics4d.com</a></div>
Dinobloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355230876222551497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462298428400722348.post-74659940435247561582016-03-19T22:48:00.000-07:002017-02-11T00:26:02.346-08:00Irish Dinos<div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiluPUlz3ZBIqckuX0VoPNXYUmEJ5Za4QOj9ckpI78Sr7ahOeq3zrQkr95vfc047LaAxAuf3def7uFJ6JRV_iM-5MBgcWvBz8JEvQI4sYMhr0yN5wWJy3_0nai2c5XZvl22yxhlYxOnb4ii/s1600/scelidosaurus--TEMP--trimed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiluPUlz3ZBIqckuX0VoPNXYUmEJ5Za4QOj9ckpI78Sr7ahOeq3zrQkr95vfc047LaAxAuf3def7uFJ6JRV_iM-5MBgcWvBz8JEvQI4sYMhr0yN5wWJy3_0nai2c5XZvl22yxhlYxOnb4ii/s640/scelidosaurus--TEMP--trimed.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
This week St. Patrick's Day celebrates Irish culture. And to many dino fans it begs the question, what dinosaurs inhabited Ireland? While England boasts many dinosaur discoveries - including the first dinosaur fossil ever formally described, Ireland seems barren of dinosaurs, despite sharing nearly identical geographical and geological features with neighboring England.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
And Ireland does not spring to mind when pondering the realm of dinosaurs.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
Mythology tells us St. Patrick dispatched all snakes from Ireland, but makes no claim regarding dinosaurs. Did dinosaurs EVER inhabit the Land of Ire?<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
In fact, it seems they did! Although not necessarily green in color, dinosaurs are known to have inhabited the Emerald Isle, once upon a time...<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
Since the Mesozoic dinosaur era, Ireland has been largely underwater. This has contributed to successive deposits of marine sediments, ultimately responsible for the dramatic coastal cliffs seen today, as well as doing a good job of covering the remains of dinosaurs.<br />
<br />
However, several locales in Ireland have revealed dino fossils, including the partial remains of a medium-sized Jurassic Period bipedal predator, an early ancestor of larger theropods, such as Tyrannosaurus rex. The most complete skeleton discovered to date is attributed to a heavily armored quadrupedal plant eater, Scelidosaurus, pictured here. Covered nearly head to tail in spikes of various sizes, Scelidosaurus was well-equipped to fend-off attacks from the predators sharing its environment. A bit of Irish luck would have come in handy, as well...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Dinobloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355230876222551497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462298428400722348.post-66732021408913462652016-02-29T20:17:00.000-08:002016-03-01T06:01:09.560-08:00Tyrannosaurus Teeth<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13.696px;">Terrifying Works in Progress</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5aCjbNdeHZXfsR7BN7zV99aiOLmdrg_rXLU9xyy25sv0y25B7XtninorfsO_hiHFW7Xy1T9qVVDthnveVIj2KAY8Y_mYWZfFFrTaHobEEn2hnV14ubnAU8Rp_Gmce66kuuCYbJVlH4Oqg/s1600/blog_post_trex_dental_battery_posted_2_29_2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="552" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5aCjbNdeHZXfsR7BN7zV99aiOLmdrg_rXLU9xyy25sv0y25B7XtninorfsO_hiHFW7Xy1T9qVVDthnveVIj2KAY8Y_mYWZfFFrTaHobEEn2hnV14ubnAU8Rp_Gmce66kuuCYbJVlH4Oqg/s640/blog_post_trex_dental_battery_posted_2_29_2016.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13.696px;"><br /></span>Dinobloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355230876222551497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462298428400722348.post-44703197818662573132016-01-31T23:59:00.001-08:002016-02-01T06:47:43.265-08:00Leaellynasaurus: Enjoying the New Year Down Under<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz-NpDcvhEUo-sNnXUJ3-vYCoMenWPnK1kMhjVE9YpJPeywgZSyEo8lerI5YnjSB6D6oDNa7IhH6dwg_2WnvStQJkj1dVmn1m_CpdkWewcbHfNQxfkGBmUcvwEjyfnAIr8aJ_awBYnPtKO/s1600/leaellynasaura_dinoblog_jan_2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Leaellynasaurus " border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz-NpDcvhEUo-sNnXUJ3-vYCoMenWPnK1kMhjVE9YpJPeywgZSyEo8lerI5YnjSB6D6oDNa7IhH6dwg_2WnvStQJkj1dVmn1m_CpdkWewcbHfNQxfkGBmUcvwEjyfnAIr8aJ_awBYnPtKO/s640/leaellynasaura_dinoblog_jan_2016.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">While northern polar regions of the Mesozoic Era endured extended winter darkness and chill, on the opposite side of the planet, southern polar regions were basking in the full flush of their summer heat and nearly 24 hours of daily sunlight. Here we see the lens of the Dino Cam focused on the dog-sized Cretaceous herbivore, <i>Leaellynasaurus</i>. Specimens of <i>Leaellynasaurus </i>have been found in a rich dinosaur fossil site on the southern coast of Australia called Dinosaur Cove. During the time of <i>Leaellynasaurus</i>, Dinosaur Cove was positioned even further south than it is today, lying fully within the Antarctic circle.</span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Dinobloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355230876222551497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462298428400722348.post-17558199802448330342015-12-30T04:07:00.000-08:002017-02-11T00:23:44.486-08:00Winter Wonderland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqryB28zwzjflNXGUAHG0JtJnPXTWTTZrVaIosDLrd0RKe-x5jroGMJWPmw9YHQHylWJn0Cs9BDQrRSzJFJWXnUHq8NzWhkoXlcmoEjQ-fIh3Llec2oMQBw5P6cx_EjzaU1T9VrjG0PqD7/s1600/troodon_night_vision_feathered_update_2_10_2017_TEMP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="443" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqryB28zwzjflNXGUAHG0JtJnPXTWTTZrVaIosDLrd0RKe-x5jroGMJWPmw9YHQHylWJn0Cs9BDQrRSzJFJWXnUHq8NzWhkoXlcmoEjQ-fIh3Llec2oMQBw5P6cx_EjzaU1T9VrjG0PqD7/s640/troodon_night_vision_feathered_update_2_10_2017_TEMP.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
This is the heart of the winter season - the time of year that the Northern Hemisphere of planet earth is in the grip of the coldest weather of the year. It is characterized by the shortest daylight and longest night of December 21 - the winter solstice, marking when the north pole is at its furthest tilt away from the sun. The earth had a similar tilt during the reign of the dinosaurs, and polar regions during the Cretaceous Period were subjected to alternating seasons of long days and short days resulting from the tilt combined with the journey around the sun, just as we experience today. However, the entire global climate of the Cretaceous was warmer than today, and the polar chill was less extreme. Dinosaurs inhabiting polar regions experienced a cool-down during winter months, but not nearly as cold as now.<br />
<br />
Dinosaurs living above the Arctic Circle, or below the Antarctic Circle in the southern hemisphere, encountered an environment similar to the wet, lush yet cool rain forests of the "Pacific Northwest" region of modern North America. During the winter months, the main issue for polar dinosaurs was lack of sunlight: they would have been plunged into weeks of darkness when the sun dropped below the horizon. The sun wouldn't rise again until spring, similar to current-day northern Alaska and Siberia.<br />
<br />
Dinosaurs did populate what is now the north slope of Alaska, and northern Alaska was in nearly the same latitude then as now: fossils found from above the Arctic Circle represent dinosaurs that actually lived above the Arctic Circle millions of years ago.<br />
<br />
Pictured above is a midday scene from the north slope of Alaska, as it would have looked in December, 70 million years ago. Midday in December would be the heart of a dark winter's night. However, the <i>Troodon </i>seen here are well adapted for the long night, protected from chilled air by dense feathered plumage, and possessing especially large eyes that accommodated hunting at night. The teeth of <i>Troodon </i>were uniquely adapted for a mixed diet of meat and foliage - perfect for a lifestyle that required flexibility in a widely changing, seasonal environment.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
Dinobloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355230876222551497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462298428400722348.post-10072476328464523662015-11-30T03:38:00.001-08:002016-01-19T02:48:05.126-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC21BI4RlN6Y-zWVfVkQ1NMIoAduMCipfpZq6gFDJhmDUV-sNMc2jmpWiFf1k5AAJVyv6jqiF-9xmo9iws13XTh02gyg0_phgqQ4xjeLn81n4wWUpK6VYLSxx_suCdkyKeKpf8RiUd58R7/s1600/dinoblog_dinostore_cyber_monday_text_update_1_19_2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="632" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC21BI4RlN6Y-zWVfVkQ1NMIoAduMCipfpZq6gFDJhmDUV-sNMc2jmpWiFf1k5AAJVyv6jqiF-9xmo9iws13XTh02gyg0_phgqQ4xjeLn81n4wWUpK6VYLSxx_suCdkyKeKpf8RiUd58R7/s640/dinoblog_dinostore_cyber_monday_text_update_1_19_2016.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Dinobloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355230876222551497noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462298428400722348.post-65672453169308829482015-10-31T05:51:00.000-07:002015-11-01T06:35:31.141-08:00Mesozoic Halloween Skies<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuT9EGlGoALfhYxvMrqaZ1tzWB8hwgBb8rY-oHitTE6ZKY6iD5ZIn0hz72CntBHRrEiG-HnIHHWrVBLJjvTPXiDUvOJnvqMGwFhMdmkIzo4QMvbB77yg4nakpYa31NBzD5KDlGwzppw01k/s1600/quetzal_moon_600dpi_document_mode_blog_edit_10_31_2015_trimmed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Quetzalcoatlus pterosaur pterodactyl Cretaceous mesozoic" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuT9EGlGoALfhYxvMrqaZ1tzWB8hwgBb8rY-oHitTE6ZKY6iD5ZIn0hz72CntBHRrEiG-HnIHHWrVBLJjvTPXiDUvOJnvqMGwFhMdmkIzo4QMvbB77yg4nakpYa31NBzD5KDlGwzppw01k/s400/quetzal_moon_600dpi_document_mode_blog_edit_10_31_2015_trimmed.jpg" title="" width="280" /></a></div>
<br />
What could be considered a "Halloween" scene from
millions of years ago might be the nocturnal sight of giant, bat-like spectres
gliding past the moon; shadows cast from the largest flying animals of all
time. <i>Quetzalcoatlus</i>, shown here, is thought to have stayed aloft in the
skies of what is now Texas for up to weeks at a time. This means they were
flying at night, apparitions "haunting" warm Cretaceous evenings
with enormous 38 foot wide skin membrane wings...<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Dinobloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355230876222551497noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462298428400722348.post-19587114657332116852015-09-29T10:10:00.001-07:002015-09-29T10:10:29.479-07:00Cretaceous Blood Moon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTTaEisAvjqZWwyKfI3cPDlEm4gY1fmRIdbyo0EjJdTlBGCtChupy4py0oM9VWS9GhMQYhNOmc-Mri-0GBTvR1BT-iYGZBPvVxeWNPSYIs315_dBK37yuACl9f9Mqdyge5kUNIS7WyoDM0/s1600/blog_trex_head%252Bblood_moon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="cretaceous tyrannosaurus blood moon" border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTTaEisAvjqZWwyKfI3cPDlEm4gY1fmRIdbyo0EjJdTlBGCtChupy4py0oM9VWS9GhMQYhNOmc-Mri-0GBTvR1BT-iYGZBPvVxeWNPSYIs315_dBK37yuACl9f9Mqdyge5kUNIS7WyoDM0/s640/blog_trex_head%252Bblood_moon.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The "Blood Moon" of September 2015 was spectacular. And has happened before...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Dinobloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355230876222551497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462298428400722348.post-49103605529675207452015-08-31T23:25:00.001-07:002015-09-01T05:33:42.284-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhCnn6h_dV5gMvgKaQ-MPCBFQgibGIm-RcbmMCnBw_glvm5BmbYN2wUUdd9COH3C7HKm0QN_O3D1jNrxBOiq93UkKs3jVorvWDya5QvR21kC6I7fX7gWPxm6NYMnVebTRrYSgFwpc1n7kQ/s1600/dinoapp_trex_skull_logo_in_horizontal_cell_phone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Dinoapp" border="0" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhCnn6h_dV5gMvgKaQ-MPCBFQgibGIm-RcbmMCnBw_glvm5BmbYN2wUUdd9COH3C7HKm0QN_O3D1jNrxBOiq93UkKs3jVorvWDya5QvR21kC6I7fX7gWPxm6NYMnVebTRrYSgFwpc1n7kQ/s640/dinoapp_trex_skull_logo_in_horizontal_cell_phone.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz3k4YVn0FvNDSnCgGJKMP9AQJdtPz5nNYsNNIIVv_5MUt2yieNO0yRJDMkeFUNq-r5IOes1lB51OwzN1asDCF1Sch48ILrrABSql3WKuv3wRM5Bpe4Ey8nLqvLHtU5UixW7OaC0mvjAIQ/s1600/dinoapp_red_text_for_blog_promo_august_2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="90" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz3k4YVn0FvNDSnCgGJKMP9AQJdtPz5nNYsNNIIVv_5MUt2yieNO0yRJDMkeFUNq-r5IOes1lB51OwzN1asDCF1Sch48ILrrABSql3WKuv3wRM5Bpe4Ey8nLqvLHtU5UixW7OaC0mvjAIQ/s320/dinoapp_red_text_for_blog_promo_august_2015.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<h2>
<br /></h2>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Your next big download is near.</span></span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Fall 2015</span></span></h3>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
Dinobloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355230876222551497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462298428400722348.post-4973711388879120212015-07-19T08:50:00.000-07:002015-07-19T08:56:45.219-07:00Dinosaurs of a Feather<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
This past week the world was rocked by the news of yet another feathered dinosaur being discovered in - <i>wait for it</i> - China. Called <i>Zhenyuanlong </i>(translation, "Zhenyuan's dragon", after the man who obtained the specimen for study), it is just the latest in a sensational series of Chinese dinosaur specimens sporting feathers.</div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<br />
China is currently the mother lode of feathered dinosaur fossils. This region is ground zero of a modern day feathered dinosaur gold rush, still churning out one spectacular feathered find after another.</div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidhXi9gqRkWicPl9cZP6oksTTfxSGxz_2Jy05F4lDe3FPGIKho_fDB6kWz5Kzf8OHGYN0GmtLXgej8vq8KBZtA4c4Ih9qarGW53FJa7reCSOPaIk-W4I4XxCDwRIJeGItKWaPD9NeALcxV/s1600/velociraptor_feathered_dinosaur_dinosaurs_of_a_feather_blogpost_800pix_7_19_2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="feathered dinosaur velociraptor zhenyuanlong" border="0" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidhXi9gqRkWicPl9cZP6oksTTfxSGxz_2Jy05F4lDe3FPGIKho_fDB6kWz5Kzf8OHGYN0GmtLXgej8vq8KBZtA4c4Ih9qarGW53FJa7reCSOPaIk-W4I4XxCDwRIJeGItKWaPD9NeALcxV/s640/velociraptor_feathered_dinosaur_dinosaurs_of_a_feather_blogpost_800pix_7_19_2015.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
Virtually "down the road" from where the newly described dinosaur was discovered, the Dino Cam, calibrated to 73 million years ago in Mongolia, has snapped a shot of a pack of sprinting <i>velociraptors </i>- feathered cousins to <i>Zhenyuanlong</i><span style="color: #222222;">. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
From the early Cretaceous of 120 million years ago, <i>Zhenyuanlong </i>may have been an ancestor to <i>Velociraptor</i>, which inhabited late Cretaceous Asia, between <span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">75 to 71 million years ago</span>. Despite the 50 million year separation between the two dinosaurs, they are clearly anatomically related and share many physiological features - including a substantial cloak of feathers. The arm feathers, in particular, are especially well preserved in <i>Zhenyuanlong</i>, with precise outlines seen in exquisite detail. In fact, <i>Zhenyuanlong </i>does a service to <i>Velociraptor</i>, providing a vivid snapshot of how dinosaurs very similar to <i>Velociraptor </i>looked in life. </div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
As the first important dinosaur that suggested the presence of feathers, <i>Velociraptor </i>has become the most famous feathered dinosaur - in fact, the genus that really jumpstarted the feather "fever", that revolutionized the public perception, as well as the scientific consideration, of dinosaur appearance and evolutionary relationships. </div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
As a result of the preponderance of bird-like dinosaur specimens discovered in recent years, the dino-bird connection is being reinforced with increasing conviction. And we benefit from this connection, since the one key aspect of dinosaurs that eludes science - how they looked in life, how they were colored, etc. - is now within reach. Although fossils don't provide this information directly, the knowledge that many species were feathered (aka bird-like) enables us to have bona-fide, living references to the <i>WAY </i>dinosaurs looked - in the form of birds. We may not be able to determine the specific colors or patterns that specific feathered dinosaur species had, but we can get a sense of the likely range and types of colors and patterns that dinosaurs possessed, as seen in the direct descendants of dinosaurs, modern birds. As dinosaurs become closer to birds, birds have become evidence: birds give us insight to the possible colors and patterns of dinosaurs.</div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
And it works both ways: as the dino-bird connection increases scientifically, birds are increasingly "becoming" dinosaurs. Birds will never be the same. So, the next time you see a robin, a goldfinch, a raven, a hawk, a parrot, or a cassowary and ostrich at a zoo, consider that you're looking at not just a living descendant of a dinosaur, but at the colors and patterns that dinosaurs must have possessed millions of years ago.</div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
And, for the record, as exciting as the film is, the dinosaurs of <i>Jurassic World</i> would have been even scarier if the producers expanded on reality, and didn't shy away from exploring the phenomenal range and riot of color that FEATHERED dinosaurs must have been - imagine THAT in 3D!</div>
Dinobloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355230876222551497noreply@blogger.com0