Of dinosaurs and dynamite

[Garrison Hilliard <garrison@efn.org>]

Of dinosaurs and dynamite 
By Dr David Whitehouse 
BBC News Online science editor 

Some dinosaur fossil hunters extricate their finds using trowels and
toothbrushes. But palaeontologists in Antarctica wield hammers, crowbars and
especially dynamite. 
Professor Bill Hammer, of Augustana College in the US, suspects that newly found
fossils on Mt Kirkpatrick could be from a sauropod, a type of herbivorous
dinosaur with a long neck and tail that lived from 250 million to 65 million
years ago. 

The last time he visited Kirkpatrick was 13 years ago when he dug up the remains
of the first, and only, carnivorous dinosaur found in Antarctica - the
seven-metre-long Cryolophosaurus ellioti . 


"We know very little about the early Jurassic, particularly in Antarctica," Dr
Hammer told BBC News Online. 
During his latest expedition, he found about 35 more bones that may belong to
Cryolophosaurus or to other dinosaurs. 

Above the fossil field Hammer's team saw another bit of exposed bone, possibly
part of a pelvis or shoulder of a sauropod. 

So blaster Marty Reed set charges of dynamite near the surface of the rock. Reed
says the main thing is to use light charges so the rock is not fractured too
much. 

Then the team works with pick axes, rock hammers, crow bars and rock saws to
free the beast's remains. 


Eventually, they retrieved about 700 kilograms of rock and fossils, but say they
left more behind. 
"I'm happy with what we found," Dr Hammer said. "There's still more going back
in there. We probably have another whole season's work there." 

But it will be many months before he can examine the catch in detail. His finds
are currently in crates at McMurdo station in Antarctica awaiting the arrival of
the ship that will take them to the United States. 


Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/science/nature/3458887.stm

Published: 2004/02/04 15:16:37 GMT

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