Oooh...ahhhh...that's how this all starts...but then there's running...and screaming

[Bob's your Information Minister]

http://science.slashdot.org/article.../2012256&tid=14

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=585&e=1&u=/nm/20050324/sc_nm/dinosaur_to_dc


Scientists Find Soft Tissue in T-Rex Bone

Thu Mar 24, 2:06 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A 70-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex fossil dug out of a hunk of sandstone has yielded soft tissue, including blood vessels and perhaps even whole cells, U.S. researchers reported on Thursday.

Paleontologists forced to break the creature's massive thighbone to get it on a helicopter found not a solid piece of fossilized bone, but instead something looking a bit less like a rock.

When they got it into a lab and chemically removed the hard minerals, they found what looked like blood vessels, bone cells and perhaps even blood cells.

"They are transparent, they are flexible," said Mary Higby Schweitzer of North Carolina State University and Montana State University, who conducted the study.

She said the vessels were flexible and in some cases their contents could be squeezed out.

"The microstructures that look like cells are preserved in every way," added Schweitzer, whose findings were published in the journal Science.

"Preservation of this extent, where you still have this flexibility and transparency, has never been seen in a dinosaur before." Feathers, hair and fossilized egg contents yes, but not truly soft tissue.

Studying the soft tissues may help answer many questions about dinosaurs. Were they cold-blooded like reptiles, warm-blooded like mammals, or somewhere in-between? How are they related to living animals?

JURASSIC PARK?

"If we can isolate certain proteins, then perhaps we can address the issue of the physiology of the dinosaur," Schweitzer said.

Of course, the big question is whether it will be possible to see dinosaur DNA. "We don't know yet. We are doing a lot in the lab now that looks promising," Schweitzer said.

To make sure she was seeing what she thought she was seeing, Schweitzer, a biologist by training, compared the Tyrannosaur samples with bone taken from a dead ostrich. She chose an ostrich because birds are thought to be the closest living relatives of dinosaurs and ostriches are big birds.

Both the dinosaur and ostrich blood vessels contained small, reddish brown dots that could be the nuclei of the endothelial cells that line blood vessels.

Taking the minerals out of both ostrich bone and the Tyrannosaur bone -- a simple experiment that can be duplicated by anyone using a chicken bone, for example, and vinegar -- yielded flexible fibers. Microscopic examination showed what look like bone cells called osteocytes in both.

The finding certainly shows fossilization does not proceed as science had assumed, Schweitzer said. Since the discovery, she has found similar samples of soft tissue in two other Tyrannosaur fossils and a hadrosaur.

The fossil was dug up out of Montana's Hell Creek Formation, a rich source of fossils.

Paleontologist Jack Horner said it was encased in 1,000 cubic yards of sandstone. "It's a fantastic specimen," he told the briefing.



"The specimen was very far away from road, (so) everything had to be done with a helicopter." The field team used standard procedure as they excavated the bones, wrapping them in plaster jackets before transporting them..

This particular dinosaur fossil was too big to lift and they reluctantly cracked a thighbone.

Usually paleontologists put preservatives on fossils right away, but Schweitzer has been trying to find soft tissue in dinosaur fossils, so this one was left alone.

Horner said he hoped museums around the world would start cracking open bones and looking for soft tissue in their fossils.

"Dinosaurs are relatively rare and we certainly think of Tyrannosaurus rex as being really rare -- although it really isn't -- so people tend not to want to cut holes into the bone or cut them in half," he said.

"But to study the cellular and molecular structures of these things you have to do that." The "good stuff," he said, is on the inside.

[Bob's your Information Minister]

68 views and no replies?

[Tredici]

So they found some DNA a Detroit Redwing dropped while hiking Montana.

Big deal.

[Spider]

still trying to take it all in ...... if it is true , wow ...... Jurassic Park can be a reality . just dont hire Newman ;D

[Tredici]

still trying to take it all in ...... if it is true , wow ...... Jurassic Park can be a reality . just dont hire Newman ;D

Michael Creighton is a genius. Really.

[Spider]

Michael Creighton is a genius. Really.
I am sure he is ........

[Bob's your Information Minister]

I am sure he is ........


Good writer, but no genius. His writing style leaves alot to be desired sometimes.

[TheDave]

Michael Creighton is a genius. Really.


During his last year in med school, he wrote the Andromeda Strain... You know in between classes, rounds, finals, etc. He busted out a novel... What a freak of nature!

[Crushaholic]

The thread title led me to believe that this was about Chef fans reaction to Gooonter's first year back...

[Bob's your Information Minister]

The thread title led me to believe that this was about Chef fans reaction to Gooonter's first year back...

LMAO

[Spider]

Good writer, but no genius. His writing style leaves alot to be desired sometimes.
Hell , I thought it was the guy that Played Newman on Sienfeld . didnt know he was a book writter

[Spider]

During his last year in med school, he wrote the Andromeda Strain... You know in between classes, rounds, finals, etc. He busted out a novel... What a freak of nature!
so much for me thinking he was an actor ......... Ok I admit it I am an Idiot

[baja]

http://science.slashdot.org/article.../2012256&tid=14

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=585&e=1&u=/nm/20050324/sc_nm/dinosaur_to_dc


Scientists Find Soft Tissue in T-Rex Bone

Thu Mar 24, 2:06 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A 70-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex fossil dug out of a hunk of sandstone has yielded soft tissue, including blood vessels and perhaps even whole cells, U.S. researchers reported on Thursday.

Paleontologists forced to break the creature's massive thighbone to get it on a helicopter found not a solid piece of fossilized bone, but instead something looking a bit less like a rock.

When they got it into a lab and chemically removed the hard minerals, they found what looked like blood vessels, bone cells and perhaps even blood cells.

"They are transparent, they are flexible," said Mary Higby Schweitzer of North Carolina State University and Montana State University, who conducted the study.

She said the vessels were flexible and in some cases their contents could be squeezed out.

"The microstructures that look like cells are preserved in every way," added Schweitzer, whose findings were published in the journal Science.

"Preservation of this extent, where you still have this flexibility and transparency, has never been seen in a dinosaur before." Feathers, hair and fossilized egg contents yes, but not truly soft tissue.

Studying the soft tissues may help answer many questions about dinosaurs. Were they cold-blooded like reptiles, warm-blooded like mammals, or somewhere in-between? How are they related to living animals?

JURASSIC PARK?

"If we can isolate certain proteins, then perhaps we can address the issue of the physiology of the dinosaur," Schweitzer said.

Of course, the big question is whether it will be possible to see dinosaur DNA. "We don't know yet. We are doing a lot in the lab now that looks promising," Schweitzer said.

To make sure she was seeing what she thought she was seeing, Schweitzer, a biologist by training, compared the Tyrannosaur samples with bone taken from a dead ostrich. She chose an ostrich because birds are thought to be the closest living relatives of dinosaurs and ostriches are big birds.

Both the dinosaur and ostrich blood vessels contained small, reddish brown dots that could be the nuclei of the endothelial cells that line blood vessels.

Taking the minerals out of both ostrich bone and the Tyrannosaur bone -- a simple experiment that can be duplicated by anyone using a chicken bone, for example, and vinegar -- yielded flexible fibers. Microscopic examination showed what look like bone cells called osteocytes in both.

The finding certainly shows fossilization does not proceed as science had assumed, Schweitzer said. Since the discovery, she has found similar samples of soft tissue in two other Tyrannosaur fossils and a hadrosaur.

The fossil was dug up out of Montana's Hell Creek Formation, a rich source of fossils.

Paleontologist Jack Horner said it was encased in 1,000 cubic yards of sandstone. "It's a fantastic specimen," he told the briefing.



"The specimen was very far away from road, (so) everything had to be done with a helicopter." The field team used standard procedure as they excavated the bones, wrapping them in plaster jackets before transporting them..

This particular dinosaur fossil was too big to lift and they reluctantly cracked a thighbone.

Usually paleontologists put preservatives on fossils right away, but Schweitzer has been trying to find soft tissue in dinosaur fossils, so this one was left alone.

Horner said he hoped museums around the world would start cracking open bones and looking for soft tissue in their fossils.

"Dinosaurs are relatively rare and we certainly think of Tyrannosaurus rex as being really rare -- although it really isn't -- so people tend not to want to cut holes into the bone or cut them in half," he said.

"But to study the cellular and molecular structures of these things you have to do that." The "good stuff," he said, is on the inside.

I suspect they will start dating this stuff by compairing it to when the Kansas City Chiefs last won a Super Bowl.

[Spider]

I suspect they will start dating this stuff by compairing it to when the Kansas City Chiefs last won a Super Bowl.
Boooooooo . we all know the fossils cant be that old ;D

[Moon§hiner]

Imagine how many steaks WalMart could get out of a TRex if they start cloning them...oops, wrong thread

[Bob's your Information Minister]

so much for me thinking he was an actor ......... Ok I admit it I am an Idiot

He wrote Jurassic Park. I need to read that again I think.

[Spider]

He wrote Jurassic Park. I need to read that again I think.
Jurassic Park was a book before a Movie ?

[Bob's your Information Minister]

Jurassic Park was a book before a Movie ?

Yes. So were Congo, Sphere and The Lost World, all written by Crichton.

The Lost World screenplay adaptation is really quite different than the movie though...the screwed it up. Congo and Sphere were pretty faithful, though.

[Spider]

Yes. So were Congo, Sphere and The Lost World, all written by Crichton.

The Lost World screenplay adaptation is really quite different than the movie though...the screwed it up. Congo and Sphere were pretty faithful, though.
I havent seen any of those Movies ......

[Kid A]

I enjoy reading Crichton. He has always been ahead to the technological curve in terms of his story telling. Even his very early books address topics and fears that people have today. Not a great writer, but he can make complicated scientific and technological concepts and make them into a very entertaing story.

[Rock Chalk]

During his last year in med school, he wrote the Andromeda Strain... You know in between classes, rounds, finals, etc. He busted out a novel... What a freak of nature!
Great friggin book!

[Rock Chalk]

I havent seen any of those Movies ......
Dont bother, the movies dont do them justice. I read Sphere in 2 and a half hours. Couldnt put it down. Congo was OK, not his best work but still a decent enough read. Havent read The Lost World.

[Spider]

Dont bother, the movies dont do them justice. I read Sphere in 2 and a half hours. Couldnt put it down. Congo was OK, not his best work but still a decent enough read. Havent read The Lost World.
thanks ...... How close is the Lord of the Rings to the Book ?

[Spider]

funny story about how I got to watch the LOTR ....... Buddy of mine brought over the first one fellowship and said lets watch this , I said I dont know that Movie , so lets Watch some Bronco games I have on tape , He said Spider , give it a try ..... I am hooked on the LOTR series now

[Mtbrncofn]

funny story about how I got to watch the LOTR ....... Buddy of mine brought over the first one fellowship and said lets watch this , I said I dont know that Movie , so lets Watch some Bronco games I have on tape , He said Spider , give it a try ..... I am hooked on the LOTR series now

I'm pretty fond of them myself. The books are better though. :) Boy, if I had a dollar for every time someone said that.....

[Tredici]

Good writer, but no genius. His writing style leaves alot to be desired sometimes.

Do you know anything about the man? Try a google search. You might learn something. The guy is a genius.

[baja]

Do you know anything about the man? Try a google search. You might learn something. The guy is a genius.

While I appreciate the support when you consider it's Bob doing the character assassination it's a complement

[Tredici]

Bob is just a little TJ wannabe. He sees the way TJ can stir up the Planet and aspires to be his mini me over here. But you, Minister of Information, are no Taco John.

[football idiot]

Crichton is good, but he makes a lot of crap up to fill in the gaps. the guy who blew my mind for being ahead of the technology curve is William Gibson. he envisioned VR, the internet, and the technological revolution in the early 80's. stuff like the Matrix is almost entirely stolen from his work. his stuff is too scatterbrained and far-reaching to work in movies, but if you can follow his stuff, it's quite enjoyable.

Sphere I loved until I got to the end. what a worthless ending. I mean really. I felt cheated. why invest that much time and energy writing 99% of a great novel only to **** all over it for an easy TV-ending to tie everything up at the end. pissed me off (and I read it like 20 years ago, so you know it REALLY pissed me off). the movie sucked.

if you want to enjoy Mikey Crighton, read the first few hundred pages of Sphere, until you figure out what's going on, and then make up your own ending. I guarantee you'll do better than Mikey. I've also seen criticism of him recently that his later works are alot more political-agenda-motivated morality tales than wonderful sci-fi/theoretical fiction.

[Bob's your Information Minister]

Do you know anything about the man? Try a google search. You might learn something. The guy is a genius.

I've read most of his books. His storytelling is great for a few pages and then suddenly it's as if he copied entire chapters from a college mathematics texbook or something.

Still enjoy his books, but his writing style is annoying sometimes.

[Rohirrim]

Anyway, back to the topic: If they can do it, they will do it. Honestly, how much would you pay to see a live, full-grown T-Rex? $500? I would. Unfortunately, they haven't been able to extract a complete strand of DNA from frozen mammoths with viable stomach contents still intact, I doubt they'll get a strand from 70 million year old tissue. Sure would be cool if they did, though. They've already cloned frogs, mice and sheep. I doubt if a reptile would be too difficult.

[Bob's your Information Minister]

The science community wouldn't charge people to see a T-Rex.

They wouldn't put it in a zoo, either. Likely they'd keep it inside a well-armed facility where it can't get out.

You'd see it on the news and "T-Rex: Day 3" specials.

What I find interesting is that the particular type of cells they found were from a T-Rex. It would be kind of lame if they found the cells of a Gallimimus.

[Rohirrim]

They also found soft tissue in a hadrasaur (duckbill). How many duckbills would you have to clone to feed one TRex?

[Rascal]

I think the better question is how many chief and faider fans does it take to feed one TRex.

[Bob's your Information Minister]

They also found soft tissue in a hadrasaur (duckbill). How many duckbills would you have to clone to feed one TRex?

I believe the duckbill was actually bigger than the T-Rex.

The theory is that T-Rex were scavengers anyway.

[tk13]

Dont bother, the movies dont do them justice. I read Sphere in 2 and a half hours. Couldnt put it down. Congo was OK, not his best work but still a decent enough read. Havent read The Lost World.

Totally agree on Sphere. When I was in Jr. High we had to read books for English, it didn't matter what they were as long as we were reading and doing reports on them, and I figured what the hey since Crichton was becoming really well known because of Jurassic Park and E.R.... I read Congo first and enjoyed it so I figured I'd read Sphere for my next assignment. Read a few pages of it before going on break and visiting my grandmother, and one morning at her house at about 9-10 am picked it back up, and couldn't put it back down until I'd finished the other 95% of the book sometime around noon. I usually read books in big chunks but nothing like that. Ending up reading Andromeda Strain and The Terminal Man afterwards, haven't kept up reading any of his newer stuff though. Sphere is a good one though...

[Rock Chalk]

thanks ...... How close is the Lord of the Rings to the Book ?
Pretty good.

To list the differences would take too long but the crux of the story remained fairly true to the book.

[Spider]

Pretty good.

To list the differences would take too long but the crux of the story remained fairly true to the book.
My biggest regret in life is not reading .... I am not letting my kids miss out ....
I missed an entire world .....

[Bob's your Information Minister]

Pretty good.

To list the differences would take too long but the crux of the story remained fairly true to the book.

Yeah, they did a really good job. The only major omissions were Bombadil and the Scouring of the Shire, which honestly we could do without. Especially Bombadil. I think Tolkien was Toking when he wrote that bit.

[Rock Chalk]

Anyway, back to the topic: If they can do it, they will do it. Honestly, how much would you pay to see a live, full-grown T-Rex? $500? I would. Unfortunately, they haven't been able to extract a complete strand of DNA from frozen mammoths with viable stomach contents still intact, I doubt they'll get a strand from 70 million year old tissue. Sure would be cool if they did, though. They've already cloned frogs, mice and sheep. I doubt if a reptile would be too difficult.

You couldnt pay ME to see one of those things living and breathing. Nope. I saw the movie, Im not a fuggin idiot.

And whoever said Dinosaur's were reptiles? Keep in mind, new evidence suggest that dinosaurs had feathers for the most part, with a mix of scales. Perhaps an intermediary branch of animals between reptiles and birds and the reason dinosaurs are NOT classified as reptiles.

The suspicion of truth is not always truth.

And Barbie My Bitch, if someone can make money off of a living t-rex, they will. Science community be damned.