All about dinosaurs, fossils and prehistoric animals by Everything Dinosaur team members.
23 11, 2014

Everything Dinosaur Stocks Rebor Dinosaur Replicas

By |2023-03-17T21:40:55+00:00November 23rd, 2014|Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Everything Dinosaur Products, Everything Dinosaur videos, Main Page, Photos of Everything Dinosaur Products|0 Comments

  Rebor 1:35 scale Yutyrannus huali available from Everything Dinosaur

Everything Dinosaur stocks Rebor dinosaur replicas.  Rebor have released a 1:35 scale model of a tyrannosauroid whose fossils come from northern China (Yutyrannus huali).  This is the first in this exciting new range and team members are keen to see how the Rebor range of dinosaur and prehistoric animal models develops.

A beautiful model of a Chinese Tyrannosaur.

A beautiful model of a Chinese tyrannosaur.

Rebor Dinosaur Replicas

The model has been nicknamed Y-REX a reference to the most famous tyrannosaur of all, Tyrannosaurus rex, although in terms of geochronological time, Y. huali (the name means beautiful feathered tyrant), lived at least fifty-five million years before T. rex evolved.  In fact, in terms of when this dinosaur roamed, it is much closer to the likes of Allosaurus and the Chinese allosauroid Sinraptor which lived during the Late Jurassic than it is to the Late Cretaceous Tyrannosaurus rex.

One thing Yutyrannus has in common with the mighty T. rex is that it too, was probably an apex predator.  At around nine metres in length and weighing as much as a Volkswagen Golf, this dinosaur, which was formally named and described in 2012, proved that in some parts of the world at least, tyrannosauroids were the dominant predators relatively early on in their evolutionary history.

Rebor Models and Figures

To view the Rebor range of scale prehistoric animal figures available from Everything Dinosaur: Rebor Dinosaur Replicas.

It certainly is a splendid model and Everything Dinosaur will post up a review of this replica very shortly.  In the meantime, here is a short (5.47), video we put together in our board room, which provides a little more information about this intriguing and highly collectible piece.

Everything Dinosaur Introduces the Rebor 1:35 Scale Yutyrannus Replica

Video credit: Everything Dinosaur

Everything Dinosaur Stocks Rebor Dinosaur Replicas

In this video, we talk more about this remarkable dinosaur discovery, discuss how the replica reflects the known fossil material and show how well this model has been packaged and presented.  Our YouTube video (as above), may only have been on-line for a few days but already it has had over 1,000 views and received twenty-one likes.

One of the Pictures of our Model (Taken in the Boardroom)

Lots of detail to admire on this figure, it even has an articulated lower jaw.

Lots of detail to admire on this figure, it even has an articulated lower jaw.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The manufacturer is to be congratulated, this really is a splendid dinosaur model.

22 11, 2014

Wonderful Dinosaur Illustrations from India

By |2023-03-17T21:38:28+00:00November 22nd, 2014|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Drawings, Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Main Page, Press Releases|0 Comments

Young Fans Send in their Dinosaur Drawings to Everything Dinosaur

It is always a pleasure to receive drawings of prehistoric animals from fans of dinosaurs.  We get lots and lots sent into our offices from all over the world.  We are always pleased to receive these illustrations and it amazes us how diverse the drawings are.  Dinosaurs dominate, we receive numerous dinosaur drawings from fans of prehistoric animals, but we get pictures of ichthyosaurs and pterosaurs as well as artwork depicting scenes from the Palaeozoic as well as the Mesozoic.  In addition, our post bags and emails also contain drawings of prehistoric mammals, Woolly Mammoths and Sabre-toothed cats being particularly popular.

Here are some examples sent in to Everything Dinosaur from India.

A Drawing of the Fearsome Carnivore Giganotosaurus

A colourful dinosaur drawing from India.

A colourful dinosaur drawing from India.

Picture credit: M. V. Eashwar

Dinosaur Drawings

The illustrator has correctly stated that the name Giganotosaurus means “giant southern lizard”.  We have printed out this artwork and pinned it onto one of our warehouse walls, so that everyone in the company can see when they are in the warehouse looking for dinosaur toys and games.

A Rearing Sauropod Defends Itself from Attack

A rearing Sauropod.

A rearing sauropod.

Picture credit: M. V. Eashwar

Dinosaurs Fighting

Another interesting drawing, one depicting a fight between two dinosaurs.  The green, long-necked dinosaur reminds us of the “Rearing Diplodocus” model in the CollectA not-to-scale model range.

The CollectA Rearing Diplodocus Dinosaur Model

Model was introduced in 2013.

The rearing Diplododocus dinosaur model was introduced in 2013.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

To view the range of CollectA Prehistoric Life models in stock: CollectA Prehistoric Life/Prehistoric World Figures.

We really enjoy viewing all the wonderful prehistoric animal drawings that get sent into our offices, the one below shows an illustration of the huge, fish-eating dinosaur known as Spinosaurus, (thanks for this Shivesh).

A Drawing of the Mighty Spinosaurus

A fantastic drawing Shivesh!

A fantastic drawing Shivesh!

Picture credit: Shivesh

Pictures of Carnivorous Dinosaurs

When it comes to the dinosaurs, we tend to get a lot of pictures showing carnivorous dinosaurs, including the likes of Allosaurus and Tyrannosaurus rex.  We have posted up a wonderful drawing of a meat-eating dinosaur, this time coloured predominately sky blue.

Dinosaur Drawings in November (Dinovember)

Fearsome Theropod dinosaur.

Fearsome theropod dinosaur.  Everything Dinosaur receives lots of dinosaur drawings from fans of prehistoric animals.

Picture credit: M. V. Eashwar

The dinosaur in the picture above seems to be on the prowl, perhaps it is stalking potential prey.  We at Everything Dinosaur really enjoy seeing all these wonderful prehistoric animal illustrations.  Our thanks to all the budding, young (and not so young), palaeoartists that take the time and trouble to send them into us.

Thanks.

21 11, 2014

Facebook and Facebook “Likes”

By |2023-03-17T21:35:14+00:00November 21st, 2014|Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Press Releases|0 Comments

Everything Dinosaur on Facebook – Getting “Likes” on Facebook

Since Everything Dinosaur joined Facebook in the last few days of September 2010, we have slowly and surely built up our Facebook fans and “likes”.  Today, we have 1,429 likes and we feel that every single one of them has been earned.  We try very hard to give our customers and fans the very best customer service that we can.

Our team members are passionate about palaeontology and we really care about the products and services that we offer.  We have noticed recently that a couple of Facebook pages that we ourselves have been following have suddenly seen their number of “likes” shoot up, not by a few dozen over the course of several days, but by tens of thousands in one case.  It is suspected that these “likes” are not entirely genuine, that they have been purchased from a “like farm” or some such other company.

Everything Dinosaur

Everything Dinosaur’s Facebook Header

Everything Dinosaur on Facebook.

Everything Dinosaur on Facebook.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

“Click Farms”

Whilst reviewing the spam comments picked up on our schools website, we noticed the following comment, clearly an advertisement from one such “like farm” or a company selling similar services.  We have not included the web address of the firm concerned but this is what the comment said:

“Here is the scenario, you tell people to visit your Facebook page and when they get there they see something like ten likes.  This is tantamount to walking in to an empty restaurant at lunch hour!  Kind of makes you nervous doesn’t it?  This does not have to be the case.  Now you can buy 100 percent safe and REAL likes and followers for facebook, instagram, twitter and youtube.  These are not fake bot-generated likes.  They are from real and active users.

This means you will not only boost your appearance but you will also benefit from engagement and potential sales not to mention that a more active social profile will also rank you better with Google.  It is a win-win situation.  Check out xxxxx for more details – I know you will be glad you did!”

Facebook “Likes” Should be Earned not Purchased

At Everything Dinosaur, we believe that “likes” or any other endorsements have to be earned.  There are no short-cuts to building a genuine two-way relationship with customers and we think most customers can see through such dubious marketing activities.  It is highly unlikely that the Facebook page visited just a couple of days ago has suddenly generated thousands of Facebook “likes” with hundreds of people talking about them, rather than the few dozen or so earlier in the week.

We believe customer service is the key to getting "likes".

We believe customer service is the key to getting “likes”.

We have asked a couple of customers who we have been in touch with today to give us a “like” on our Facebook page if they liked our customer service.  One of these was the lady who telephoned us to say her parcel had not arrived, within a few minutes, we had checked on when the order had been despatched and emailed her with some useful information to help find the missing dinosaurs.

As the order had been sent to a company, we suggested that the intended recipient should check with the reception desk/mail room to see if the parcel had been put somewhere.  Sure enough, an enquiry at the mail room led to the safe recovery of the dinosaurs.

This customer emailed us to confirm that everything was fine and dandy.  The customer said:

“Just to let you know that the parcel was indeed at the office, the post room managed to lose it but it has now been found so no small dinosaurs are AWOL in central London 🙂  Thank you very much for your assistance, I have been very impressed with the customer service.”

Everything Dinosaur on Facebook

Feel free to visit Everything Dinosaur on Facebook: Our Facebook Page have a look round, add a comment or two if you wish and if you think we are worth it, please give our Facebook page a “like”.

The second person we asked to give a “like” to the Everything Dinosaur Facebook page today, was the lady who telephoned before placing an order to check when she might receive a dinosaur themed dressing up costume, should she place an order with us this morning.  She needed the costume for Tuesday and did not want to order the item, if there was no way that it could get to her.

The team member who took her call was able to reassure her, to ensure that her order was prioritised and to personally check that the order was despatched in the afternoon, as promised.  That person was then also able to swap the dressing up costume for a larger size when the customer telephoned again to say that she might have ordered the wrong size by mistake.

These sort of things are what we do, our customer service helps explain how, slowly and surely, the team here have managed to build up 1,429 genuine “likes” our on Facebook page.  We really do appreciate all the likes, comments, feedback and reviews that we receive and we would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for giving Everything Dinosaur’s Facebook page a “like” – all 1,429 of you.

Oops, our mistake 1,430 likes.

Take a look at the huge range of prehistoric animal models and dinosaur toys available at Everything Dinosaur: Visit Everything Dinosaur.

21 11, 2014

Year 2 and Year 3 Get to Grips with Dinosaurs and Fossils

By |2023-03-17T21:22:43+00:00November 21st, 2014|Key Stage 1/2|Comments Off on Year 2 and Year 3 Get to Grips with Dinosaurs and Fossils

St Mary’s Catholic Primary School Children Learn About Fossils and Dinosaurs

It has been a very busy Autumn term for the dinosaur experts at Everything Dinosaur.  There have been so many school visits to fit into their teaching schedules.  For example, this week one of our fossil experts was at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School working with Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 pupils.

Dinosaurs and Fossils

Year 2 students (Wharfe class) had been learning about animals that lived in the past and trying to answer the question “Would a dinosaur make a good pet?  A dinosaur themed workshop helped the eager, young palaeontologists to see some of the disadvantages of having a Triceratops in the back garden, or taking an Ankylosaurus to school.  The children had prepared lots of questions and prior to the visit the teaching team had been exploring eggs and identifying which types of animals are egg layers.   All the information was being posted up on the classroom’s topic wall.

A Colourful Topic Wall for Dinosaurs in the Year Two Classroom

Dinosaurs and adjectives.

Encouraging the use of describing words.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

A Dinosaur Workshop

The dinosaur workshop linked nicely into the science topic for the term.  Wharfe class were looking at living and non-living things with a specific emphasis on dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals.  The children were helping to sort out and classify things in accordance as to whether they are living today, extinct or never alive.   The Everything Dinosaur team member set a couple of extension activities for the class, in support of the teaching team.  The focus will be on helping the children to devise charts, posters and fact sheets, all part of working scientifically.

To view the huge range of dinosaur themed toys and gifts available: Dinosaur Toys and Dinosaur Gifts.

Learning About Rocks and Fossils

Swale class (Year 3) were learning all about rocks, fossils and soil.  This was an opportunity to ask Everything Dinosaur how fossils are formed and what they are made of.  The leader of the dinosaur workshop set up an experiment for the children so that they can explore how fossils form.  Lots of photo opportunities for the teacher Mrs Hunt!   Year 3 had been set the learning challenge of looking at rocks and their properties, with a view to working out what rocks tell us about how the Earth was formed.  Everything Dinosaur was able to explain about sedimentary rocks and where fossils can be found and the sort of rocks likely to contain them.

A Table with Lots of Different Types of Rocks

Rocks and fossils to explore.

A very full “rock table”. Lots of rocks and fossils to explore!

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Swale class were also set one of our challenges as part of a series of extension activities.  We can’t wait to hear about how the children tackled this challenge.

20 11, 2014

No New Prehistoric Animals from Bullyland Next Year

By |2023-03-17T21:19:34+00:00November 20th, 2014|Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Everything Dinosaur Products, Photos of Everything Dinosaur Products|0 Comments

No New Releases, No Retirements from Bullyland in 2015 (Bullyland Prehistoric Animal Models and Figures)

Bullyland, the German based manufacturer of replicas and figures is not going to be adding to their range of prehistoric animal models in 2015, according to information received by Everything Dinosaur.  Bullyland currently produce a range of prehistoric animals including a colourful Lambeosaurus and a marvellous model of the dwarf sauropod known as Europasaurus, both of which were introduced this year.

Dinosaur Models

The Bullyland Lambeosaurus Dinosaur Model

Bullyland Lambeosaurus on the Everything Dinosaur fact sheet that accompanies this model.

Bullyland Lambeosaurus on the Everything Dinosaur fact sheet that accompanies this model. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Bullyland Europasaurus

The Europasaurus, when it came out was particularly popular, after all, this was one of the very first models made of this dwarf sauropod, a dinosaur that lived on islands that once could be found off the coast of western Europe.

The Bullyland Europasaurus Dinosaur Model

The dwarf Sauropod - Europasaurus.

The dwarf sauropod – Europasaurus. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Everything Dinosaur and Fact Sheets

Everything Dinosaur also send out a special Europasaurus fact sheet with sales of this dinosaur model.  It may have been pint-sized in relation to its giant Macronarian cousins, but Europasaurus probably reached lengths in excess of six metres and the Bullyland Europasaurus model itself measures twenty-three centimetres in length.

To view the extensive range of Bullyland prehistoric animal models available from Everything Dinosaur: Bullyland Prehistoric Animal Models and Figures.

Bullyland Dinosaur Model Reviews

We have received quite a few reviews of Bullyland models over the years. Here are a couple of reviews on the Bullyland Europasaurus:

“Accuracy in detail, nice colour and a well sized replica are the characteristics of the Bullyland Europasaurus, perhaps the most well made replica of the company, worthy of a place alongside the best replicas of the other companies. Highly recommended.”

Another one:

“Nice model, good colour and size.”

We appreciate all the reviews and comments that we get from our customers, we have received over one thousand on the current Everything Dinosaur website.

Bullyland have also stated that there will be no retirements from their prehistoric animal model ranges next year.  According to our contact at Bullyland, the German model manufacturer has several new models in the planning stage and it will review its policy over model introductions/retirements over the course of next year.

19 11, 2014

Recommended Christmas Reading for Dinosaur Fans

By |2023-03-17T21:15:18+00:00November 19th, 2014|Book Reviews, Dinosaur Fans, Geology, Palaeontological articles, Press Releases|0 Comments

“Dinosaurs of the British Isles” – An Ideal Christmas Gift

Not sure what to buy a budding palaeontologist for Christmas, well, Everything Dinosaur recommends “Dinosaurs of the British Isles” by Dean Lomax and Nobumichi Tamura (Siri Scientific Press).  This book provides a comprehensive guide to the dinosaur discoveries that have been made in the United Kingdom and it takes the reader from the Triassic through to the Late Cretaceous, cataloguing all the various dinosaurs in geochronological order.

“Dinosaurs of the British Isles”

The Front Cover of Dinosaurs of the British Isles

A comprehensive guide to British dinosaurs over 400 pages.

A comprehensive guide to British dinosaurs over 400 pages.

Picture credit: Siri Scientific Press

A Comprehensive Overview

Dean and Nobumichi have painstakingly compiled a comprehensive review of all the major dinosaur fossil finds and this book is aimed at the general reader as well as at fossil collectors and dinosaur fans.  Southern England and the Isle of Wight may be globally significant locations when it comes to Early Cretaceous dinosaurs, but readers may be surprised to find that the sandstones in Morayshire (Scotland) have provided tantalising clues to life on the super-continent Pangaea during the Triassic and the oldest dinosaur tracks can be spotted at Barry in the Vale of Glamorgan (south Wales).

Amazing Prehistoric Creatures

The authors are to be commended, as they provide a fascinating introduction to the Dinosauria, their classification and the emergence of palaeontology as a science.  This all follows a well-written foreword by Dr Paul Barrett, a highly respected academic and vertebrate palaeontologist at the Natural History Museum (London).  With the Dinosauria well and truly introduced, it is time to meet some of the amazing prehistoric creatures that once roamed the British Isles.  For example, at least three types of tyrannosaurid may once have roamed across this part of the world.  There’s the Proceratosaurus (P. bradleyi) whose fossilised remains, come from Gloucestershire, the fearsome, five-metre long Juratyrant, a terror of the Late Jurassic whose fossilised remains have been discovered near Swanage (Dorset) and Eotyrannus (E. lengi), represented by a partial skeleton found on the Isle of Wight.

 Documenting the Theropoda of the British Isles

A potential Compsognathidae?

A potential Compsognathidae?

Picture credit: Siri Scientific Press

Impressive Sauropods from Britain

It is not just the meat-eaters that palaeontologist Dean Lomax has documented in collaboration with California based, palaeoartist Nobumichi Tamura.  The United Kingdom boasts some very impressive (and gigantic) herbivorous dinosaurs too. This book also provides a comprehensive account of the huge sauropods that once stomped across the British Isles, many of which rivalled the long-necked dinosaurs of North America in terms of size.

To visit the website of Siri Scientific Press to learn more about “Dinosaurs of the British Isles”: Siri Scientific Press.

Author Dean Provides a Scale for Cetiosaurus

A belly up view of "Whale Lizard".

A belly up view of “Whale Lizard”.

Picture credit: Dean Lomax

The full colour photographs are very informative and support the text extremely effectively.  This is a rare example of a book that will appeal to serious academics as well as to the general reader.  “Dinosaurs of the British Isles” provides a fascinating introduction to the Dinosauria, before moving on to describe every dinosaur species represented by the known fossil record from this part of the world in great detail.

Highly recommended.

“Dinosaurs of the British Isles” by Dean Lomax and Nobumichi Tamura is available from Siri Scientific Press (Siri Scientific Press), length 414 pages, ISBN: 978-0-9574530-5-0.

18 11, 2014

Getting our Teeth into Malaysia’s Dinosaurs

By |2023-03-17T21:12:11+00:00November 18th, 2014|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans|0 Comments

Putting Malaysia on the Dinosaur Fossil Map

Back in February of this year, February 18th to be exact, Everything Dinosaur wrote an article about the discovery of Malaysia’s first dinosaur fossil, a small tooth believed to represent a member of the Spinosauridae.  Although, this fossil was just a little over two centimetres in length, it made a big impression on Asian palaeontologists.  Here was evidence that Malyasia, like Thailand and Laos, could be home to dinosaur fossil remains, most probably new species to boot.

Dinosaur Fossil

Now, exactly nine months later, we are happy to report on the unearthing of more fossils from Malaysia, they hint at a potential treasure trove of new dinosaur discoveries that could be made, perhaps rivalling the recent dinosaur discoveries of Western Malaysia’s northern neighbour Thailand.

To read about the discovery of Malaysia’s first dinosaur fossil: Malaysia’s First Dinosaur – A Fossil Tooth is Found.

Firstly, the team behind the discovery of and research into the Spinosauridae tooth have reported that they have found evidence of a second type of dinosaur in the same region.  It’s another fossilised tooth, but not from a meat-eating theropod, this tooth is that of a herbivore and similar to the teeth of bird-hipped dinosaurs (ornithischians), although the family is difficult to determine as the teeth looks to be heavily worn and from the photographs that have been released, it is not easy to determine any clear, distinguishing traits.

Possible Armoured Dinosaur?

According to some press reports we have read, the tooth may have come from an armoured dinosaur, a member of the Thyreohora (shield-bearers), a sub-group of the ornithischian dinosaurs that consists of the armoured dinosaurs.

Malaysia’s Second Dinosaur Tooth

A second fossil tooth has been discovered.

A second fossil tooth has been discovered.

Picture credit: AFP

A Dinosaur Tooth

In the picture, of the lead researchers in the Malaysian dinosaur project, Dr Masatoshi Sone from the University of Malaya (Kuala Lumpur), holds up a coin to show the size of the fossil specimen.  This tooth is smaller than the theropod’s discovered earlier, it is just 13 mm long and measures 10.5 mm wide.  The age of this fossil has yet to be determined but the research team, which also includes scientists from Japan’s Waseda University and Kumamoto University, hope to use pollen micro-fossils, recovered from the surrounding matrix to help date the specimen more accurately.  For the time being, the fossil tooth is being described as from the Early Cretaceous so it could be around 140 million years old.

A Second Fossil Tooth

This second fossilised tooth was found in the same locality as the first tooth fossil, the Taman Negara region of Pahang State (Western Malaysia), the exact location of the fossil find is being kept secret, to deter amateur fossil hunters from damaging the site.

The Taman Negara region is extensively forested and searching for fossils in a part of the world that is heavily vegetated is not easy, but the research team were keen to point out that construction projects often allowed access to bedrock and rock strata not normally within reach.  Dr Masatoshi remarked that he often took his wife with him to explore the ground works of housing construction projects, as these building sites, with the vegetation cleared and excavations, were ideal places to look for evidence of ancient life in the freshly exposed rocks.

Are More Dinosaur Fossil Finds Likely?

When asked about the possibility of further dinosaur finds, Dr Masatoshi stated:

“It is plausible that large dinosaur fossil deposits still remain in Malaysia.”

How true!  No sooner has the University of Malaya held a press conference to show their new dinosaur discovery, then there comes a report from the Mineral and Geoscience Department of the Malaysian Geological Heritage Group that more evidence of dinosaurs has been found, this time in the Mount Gagau region of Terengganu State, some distance from the Pahang fossil finds.

These new fossils are believed to be unrelated to the finds made by the research team led by Dr Masatoshi and they have yet to be accurately dated.  The discoveries consist of several footprints, bones and teeth and at least three different types of dinosaur are represented, although it is impossible to identify them down to the genus level at the moment.

Commenting on the dinosaur fossil finds, one of the directors of the Mineral and Geoscience Department of the Malaysian Geological Heritage Group, Datuk Yunus Abdul Razak stated:

“They are significant findings that will lead to even more dinosaur fossil enquiries, also, the fossils that we found were more intact.”

Possible Iguanodontid

A tooth, measuring about 1.5 cm in length and two footprints could be from an iguanodontid, a member of a group of highly successful ornithischian dinosaurs whose fossils have been found in Cretaceous aged deposits all over the world.  There have even been reports of iguanodontid fossils recovered from Upper Jurassic strata, for example camptosaurs and other North American ornithopods.

The Rocks with the Tooth of an Iguanodontid are Shown to the Press

caption

Geoscience assistant Mohd Azrul Aziz shows the rocks that could contain Iguanodontid fossil material.

Picture credit: Mineral and Geoscience Department of the Malaysian Geological Heritage Group

Fossils of iguanodontids are known from South-East Asia, with a number of fossil specimens identified as belonging to members of the Iguanodontidae family, but once again, genus identification is difficult.  With luck, as more fossils are found, the scientists will be able to build up a picture of the Dinosauria of South-East Asia and assign some fossils to new genera.

At Everything Dinosaur, we look forward to hearing more about dinosaur discoveries from Malaysia.

17 11, 2014

Rocks and Dinosaurs at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School

By |2023-03-17T21:06:42+00:00November 17th, 2014|Educational Activities, Main Page, Teaching|0 Comments

Year 2 and Year 3 Study Dinosaurs and Fossils

Pupils at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School enjoyed a visit from Everything Dinosaur today.  The visit of a dinosaur and fossil expert was scheduled to take place as Key Stage 1 pupils were starting a topic on dinosaurs and Key Stage 2 classes were beginning a science topic all about rocks, fossils and soils.

The children in Wharfe class (all the classes are named after rivers), had been considering whether a dinosaur would make a good pet.  They had looked at eggs and put up notes on their topic wall about animals that laid eggs.

Identifying Which Animals Lay Eggs

Which animals lay eggs?

Which animals lay eggs?

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The visitor from Everything Dinosaur was able to provide quite a bit of evidence about dinosaurs and their suitability for a pet.  Identifying how much a Triceratops probably ate by looking at the jaws and teeth, convinced most of the children that some of the biggest dinosaurs known would not make good pets.  Under the tutelage of the class teacher Mrs Conroy, the children would be learning about living and non-living things, with a focus on life in the past.  One of the learning objectives for this part of the Autumn term was for the children to consider what living things require in order to survive and flourish.

Developing Vocabulary

There was a big emphasis on developing a scientific vocabulary, our dinosaur expert helped the class by assisting them when it came to identifying what some prehistoric animals ate and the terms used to describe these types of prehistoric creatures.

To read more about Everything Dinosaur’s huge range of dinosaur and prehistoric animal themed toys and gifts: Dinosaur Toys and Dinosaur Gifts.

Year 3 (Swale class), had been learning about different types of rocks and their properties.  Mrs Hunt, the teacher was excited to learn about the local geology and all about the rocks that form Swaledale.  The children loved handling the fossils and taking part in the experiments to demonstrate petrification processes such as permineralisation.  On a table in the classroom, the children had lots of rocks to explore and to learn about.  The eager pupils were keen to show the Everything Dinosaur expert their fossils and he was happy to tell them all about these specimens, the class particularly liked learning about “Devil’s toenails”.

Lots of Rocks for Year 3 to Examine

A very full "rock table".

A very full “rock table”.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Having left each class with one of Everything Dinosaur’s “pinkie palaeontologist challenges”, we shall see how the children get on and we are all excited to hear the results.

16 11, 2014

To Clone or Not to Clone a Woolly Mammoth

By |2023-03-17T21:05:29+00:00November 16th, 2014|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Main Page, Press Releases|0 Comments

Documentaries on Woolly Mammoth Autopsy and Cloning Possibilities

Two documentaries focusing on the study of a remarkably well preserved female Woolly Mammoth carcase are due to be shown in the UK and the United States towards the end of this month.  Channel 4 (UK) will show “Woolly Mammoth: The Autopsy” on Sunday, November 23rd at 8pm.  Stateside viewers will be able to see a similar documentary entitled “How to Clone a Woolly Mammoth”, it will air on the Smithsonian Channel on November 29th.

Cloning a Woolly Mammoth

The 40,000-year-old star of the show, is “Buttercup” a mature female Woolly Mammoth.  The frozen carcase was discovered back in 2013, when a research team from the Research Institute of Applied Ecology, the Russian Geographical Society and the North Eastern Federal University was exploring the remote Lyakhovsky islands, part of the Novosibirsk archipelago, situated in the Eastern Siberia Sea in the search for Woolly Mammoth fossil remains.

Scientists found that entombed within the ice, much of the front part of this Mammoth’s body was intact.  This was one of the best preserved specimens ever discovered and the television programme makers examine what these remains can tell us about these long extinct creatures and then the programmes discuss the prospect of scientists producing a clone.

Woolly Mammoth “Blood”

When the body cavity of the Mammoth was examined, in places where it had begun to slightly thaw, a thick, red liquid could be encouraged to flow out of the flesh.  At the time this was described as “blood”. Although it may have contained constituents of blood, the television documentaries will explain in more detail what this was.  However, one thing that the field team could be confident about, this one of the best preserved Woolly Mammoths ever found.  Having a strong stomach is needed for this sort or work.  A nose peg/face mask is recommended, once the body starts to warm up, decomposition and putrefaction are not far away.

Woolly Mammoth

Returning a Woolly Mammoth, a species that has not been seen on this Earth for thousands of years, back from the dead.  This might sound like the stuff of science fiction, but the cloning of a Woolly Mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius), is a distinct possibility although probably not for at least another thirty or forty years – just a blink in geological time.

To read about the discovery of the Mammoth that is now called “Buttercup”: A Woolly Mammoth with Fresh Blood?

Should the Woolly Mammoth be Resurrected?

Will the Woolly Mammoth return?

Will the Woolly Mammoth return?

Picture credit:  Everything Dinosaur

Mired in a Bog

It is likely that this elephant became mired in a bog and she probably succumbed to exhaustion, although an attack from predators is not ruled out as much of the rear portion of the skeleton has been lost and that which remains shows feeding damage.   Whether this was post-mortem, we at Everything Dinosaur are unable to say.

Whilst we at Everything Dinosaur are very much in favour of the study of these Siberian giants.  After all, actually examining the slowly thawing out flesh of such a creature provides science with so much more information than just the bones. We remain concerned about the moral and ethical issues involved in any cloning process.  True, scientists from Harvard University and from South Korea’s Sooam Biotech Research Foundation are trying to just that, to bring a Woolly Mammoth back by cloning, although both teams are going about it in slightly different ways.

To Resurrect the Mammoth

We feel that certain questions have to be asked, for example, what contribution to overall genetic research would such a project make?  Indeed, is it right to focus on trying to resurrect the Mammoth when more resources could be directed at trying to save critically endangered flora and fauna that are still around.

We imagine a scenario, whereby, many Indian elephant females are subjected to experimentation and if a clone could be created, then there is the problem of surviving the lengthy gestation if a successful implanting into the womb of a surrogate mother could be achieved.

The Life of a Baby Mammoth

Perhaps, if the baby could survive to term, then there is the birth itself, or most likely a Caesarean section, as no commercial company would want to lose their “genetic investment” at this late stage.  If the baby survives, boy or girl (gender will probably be determined for it), then it could end up being rejected by what would already be a traumatised mother.  If the calf lives, we suspect there may be a number of unforeseen medical issues (as has been the case in the cloning a number of extant animals), then what sort of life would this young Woolly Mammoth have.

Could we See a Baby Woolly Mammoth in a Zoo in 2050?

Baby Woolly Mammoth - the New Lyuba?

Baby Woolly Mammoth – the New Lyuba?

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

For models and replicas of Woolly Mammoths and other prehistoric creatures: Papo Models and Prehistoric Animal Figures.

Possibly rejected by its own mother and never able to be part of a herd, this elephant, highly social by instinct, part of a species that had a childhood almost as long as a human’s childhood, would be totally isolated and alone.  It would have no references, no role models, no benchmark.  It would be a Woolly Mammoth or something resembling a Mammoth (depending on the proportion of Indian elephant DNA involved), but it would not know how to behave or act like a Mammoth.

The Realities of Resurrecting a Mammoth

We at Everything Dinosaur foresee a heart-breaking scene in a zoo, perhaps in the not too distant future, whereby, a shaggy, rough coated elephant is paraded in front of crowds of visitors to the great satisfaction and economic benefit to the institution that owns this genetic wonder.  For the animal itself, it would most probably be doomed to live an entirely unnatural existence with none of the social interactions that these elephants would crave.  Just as we have captured Orcas and displayed them at theme parks and we are now only being to understand the trauma we put these magnificent creatures through.

Cloning One Day Possible?

Being able to explore the flesh and blood of a long dead creature is of great importance to science.  We accept that one day in future the cloning of a Mammoth may indeed be possible.  But just because we can do something doesn’t make it right to do.  To clone a Mammoth would involve a tremendously dedicated team of scientists who would be pushing at the boundaries of our understanding of genetics, but just as with the study of the carcase itself, when it comes to the moral and ethical implications, a strong stomach will be required.

Let’s hope that the documentaries examine the ethical dimensions of cloning such as a creature as well as providing more information on how these ancient creatures lived and died.

15 11, 2014

A Fishy Dinosaur Tail from South-western Alberta

By |2023-03-17T20:56:39+00:00November 15th, 2014|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Main Page|0 Comments

Fishermen Spot Duck-Billed Dinosaur Fossil in the Castle River

Palaeontologists at the Royal Tyrrell Museum (Alberta, Canada), have a new hadrosaur specimen to study, thanks to a pair of keen-eyed fishermen who spotted the fossilised remains of an 80-million-year-old dinosaur whilst on an angling trip to the Castle River in the extreme south-west of Alberta.

Hadrosaur Specimen

Back in August, a father and son fishing trip on the river was interrupted when the son, spotted the brownish/black outline of some bones exposed on the surface of a huge boulder that had been washed into the middle of the Castle River.  Last year, the south-west of Alberta experienced some of the worst flooding in living memory.

The devastation caused by the extensive flooding had a silver lining for vertebrate palaeontologists as a number of fossils were swept into river systems. This hadrosaur specimen, which consists of a partial skull, articulated cervical vertebrae and bones from the upper portion of the chest, could represent an entirely new species.

The Fossilised Bones are Entombed Inside a Sandstone Boulder

The exposed skull (top right) and the articulated neck vertebrae.

The exposed skull (top right) and the articulated neck vertebrae.

Picture credit: Royal Tyrrell Museum

Hadrosaurs

Hadrosaurs, or more specifically dinosaurs that belong to the Superfamily known as the Hadrosauroidea, were bird-hipped, herbivores that had horny beaks and batteries of teeth to help them cope with tough vegetation.  Known from the Cretaceous to the very end of the Age of Dinosaurs, these reptiles, also referred to as the duck-billed dinosaurs were amongst the most speciose of all the known types of dinosaur and they were particularly numerous and diverse during the Campanian and Maastrichtian faunal stages of Late Cretaceous North America.

Commenting on the significance of this discovery, the Curator of Dinosaurs at the Royal Tyrrell Museum, Dr Donald Henderson explained that the unusual location of this fossil find, just a few miles from the border with British Columbia, makes this specimen extremely important.

He stated:

“It is one of the reasons we were so keen to get it, every time we find something different in another part of the province, it’s something important.  This means we could be finding new dinosaurs in the extreme south-west of Alberta.”

Duck-billed Dinosaur Fossil

A helicopter was called in to airlift the one tonne boulder onto a low-loader for transport up to Drumheller, where the museum is based.  The specimen will then be carefully prepared in the museum’s laboratory.  Field workers did search the rest of the river bed and along the banks in the immediate vicinity of the fossil in a bid to find other parts of the skeleton, but to no avail.  Last year’s floods may have delivered this partial specimen but the remainder would have most likely been washed away.

It is rare for such a specimen, to be preserved in this manner.  The sandstone rock in which the fossil is entombed is extremely hard, the resistance of this rock to erosion helped preserve the fossil, although extracting the fossilised bones from the surrounding matrix will be a very difficult and time consuming job due to the tough matrix.

Entombed in Hard Sandstone

Dr Henderson added:

“It’s in really, really hard sandstone, otherwise it would have been smashed up a long time ago.  It’s [the fossil specimen] sort of coiled up inside, at the time of its death, the neck and head curled back and the body was swept away in a river of sand. “

A Close up of the Skull Showing the Rows of Teeth in the Jaws

Erosion has led to the skull and jaws being cross-sectioned to reveal internal details.

Erosion has led to the skull and jaws being cross-sectioned to reveal internal details.

Picture credit: Royal Tyrrell Museum

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur said, that the actions of the fishermen should be praised.  It is important for members of the public to alert museums when they come across something unexpected and unusual.  The fossil is probably preserved in three-dimensions, the hard sandstone protecting the bones, normally such bones are crushed, flattened and smashed.  Palaeontologists might be able to learn a great deal about Late Cretaceous ornithischian dinosaurs as a result of this fossil discovery.

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