I've loved dinosaurs since the moment I saw the T-Rex skeleton in the lobby of the Natural History Museum There has been a lot of excitement in my house and the palaentological community fuelled by the find of an extraordinarily preserved Hadrosaur (a bloody big duck-billed dino) nicknamed 'Dakota':
Research into the dinosaur's remains may further scientists' understanding of how the ancient creatures' skin appeared and how quickly they moved, said team leader Phillip Manning of the University of Manchester, a National Geographic Expeditions Council grantee."This specimen exceeds the jackpot," Manning said.
Dakota was about 35 feet (12 meters) long and weighed some 3.5 tons, but the dinosaur was no slowpoke, according to preliminary studies. (Related news: "T. Rex Quicker Than Fastest Humans, Study Says" [August 23, 2007].)
With the aid of a large-scale CT scanner, researchers determined that Dakota had a more muscular rear end and more powerful legs than previously believed, according to Manning.
More images and the full Nat-Geo Story.
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