Re: Ivan the (terribly treated) T. rex

[MKIRKALDY@aol.com]

In a message dated 5/11/2007 1:42:13 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
tholtz@geol.umd.edu writes:

<< According to a news article  (http://www.kansas.com/212/story/64522.html), 
a team of paleontologists from the  University of Maryland will also work on 
Ivan.>>

< If by "team" they mean "me", and by "work on" they mean "plans to go  out 
there sometime and look at the specimen", then the article is  accurate...>
 
The article and the description on their website have several other  
vagaries.  At 60% complete, which bones are real and which are  reconstructed?  
Phil 
Currie's quotes are casual speculation salt and  peppered through the article.
 
>From the Ivan announcement:  "He was discovered within the Hell Creek  
geological formation, a comprehensive study of which is now underway utilizing  
experts from approximately ten universities and the Museum of Natural History.  
The purpose of this study is to record the fossil remains of prehistoric  
dinosaurs that are unearthed during the course of thier (sic) work."  That  
sounds 
like universities and (a) Museum of Natural History are actually studying  
"Ivan" rather than the general Hell Creek location.  Field notes?   What else 
was 
found at that locality?  How did it die?  Will it be CT  scanned?    
 
With all due respect to the discoverers, how would they know if there was  
something scientifically significant about "Ivan" as they excavated and 
prepared 
 it?  
 
Mary



************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.