Photos of T Rex Soft Tissue!

[On the Road]

---snip

The soft tissues were recovered from the thighbone of a T. rex, known as MOR 1125, that was found in a sandstone formation in Montana. The dinosaur was about 18 years old when it died.

---snip

"You are actually getting into the small-scale biology of the animal, which is something we rarely get the opportunity to look at," said Carrano, who was not part of the research team. In addition, he said, it is a huge opportunity to learn more about how fossils are made, a process that is not fully understood.

Richard A. Hengst of Purdue University said the finding "opens the door for research into the protein structure of ancient organisms, if nothing else. While we think that nature is conservative in how things are built, this gives scientists an opportunity to observe this at the chemical and cellular level." Hengst was not part of the research team.

John R. Horner, of the Museum of the Rockies at Montana State University, said the discovery is "a fantastic specimen," but probably is not unique. Other researchers might find similarly preserved soft tissues if they split open the bones in their collections, said Horner, a co-author of the paper.

--snip


These undated photos show de-mineralized fragments of tissues lining the marrow cavity of a Tyrannosaurus rex femur. Photograph A shows the de-mineralized fragment is flexible and resilient and, when stretched (arrow), returns to its original shape. Photograph B shows the de-mineralized bone after air drying. The overall structure and functional characteristics remain after dehydration. Photograph C shows regions of de-mineralized bone showing fibrous character (arrows). These characteristics are not normally seen in fossilized bone.
Photo: AP Photo/Science

http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,67014,00.html?tw=wn_9techhead

[roguevalley]

1. amazing. I still don't know how this happened but it sure puts lie

to creationism don't you think?

[seriousstan]

10. Just the opposite. The creationists now are claiming it as proof

of a young earth. They say it couldn't be "fresh" and be millions of years old at the same time.

[Poor Richard Lex]

13. is that a 2 headed dog?

just kidding, nice pups

[BlueEyedSon]

2. Proof that dinosaurs were alive just a few hundred years ago!

So why weren't they mentioned in the Bible?

[ret5hd]

5. cuz god's quite the jokester.

[seriousstan]

11. I believe their response would be......tanniyn, Leviathan and behemoth.

If you would like more info about the exact use to these terms in the bible, this might help get you started. http://www.clarifyingchristianity.com/dinos.shtml

It is always best to know the argument of the other side BEFORE entering into a discussion.

[President Jesus]

3. looks tasty.

[Elidor]

7. Looks like fried chicken

I bet it "tastes just like chicken," too.

[oneighty]

14. Everything taste like

chicken.

Hey Hardhead!

180

[htuttle]

16. Everything except...

...free-range, hormone-free chicken, which tastes like some other animal entirely.

Which makes me wonder -- maybe what they've been selling as 'factory chickens' all these years is actually some sort of lizard. That would explain why lizard always takes like 'chicken'.

Just thinking out loud...though it's probably best if I don't.



It's New! It's Man-Made!

[teenagebambam]

4. So is anyone here a paleobiologist?

Is it possible these samples could be used to, say, tell what a T-Rex's actual hide coloring was?

[BlueEyedSon]

6. No, but we can clone them now, "Jurassic Park" style!

[Zappa]

12. Soft Tissue & DNA

I suspect that none of the DNA survived. It will take a while to find out.

[On the Road]

8. Unfortunately, the Samples are from Bone Marrow and Tendons

no skin or hide.

Although, who knows, maybe there are others. These samples were obtained by basically soaking bones in vinegar until the calcium was gone. Most museums choose not to destroy their fossil bones this way, but if there are some exciting findings, maybe that will change.

[Nihil]

9. Hmmm

> Most museums choose not to destroy their fossil bones this way, but
> if there are some exciting findings, maybe that will change.

But if the bones have been destroyed and nothing found ...?

Still, at least it will make the creationists happier - one less fossil
to be waved in their face (or analysed non-destructively in the future).

[WindRavenX]

15. if they can get some protein samples...

...they might be able to get some pretty decent DNA samples.