I need that raptor suit. - by Tonamel
Vivian on 19/4/2007 at 10:27
That suit is incredible, wow!
I have to say though, why don't the fucking media ever listen to us? Dromaeosaurs had FEATHERS, idiots! It's pretty well the coolest thing about coelurosaurs! They were like giant birds with hands! and teeth!
I really don't get it. Maybe that nutjob feduccia is one of their advisors or something - he's pretty well the only palaeontologist left who thinks birds and dinosaurs are different things. Which means he must be blind and/or stupid.
Stitch on 19/4/2007 at 16:51
Quote Posted by Uncle Bacon
I have to say though, why don't the fucking media ever listen to us?
But to answer your question, Jurassic Park.
Shakey-Lo on 19/4/2007 at 17:08
That was incredible. I have to say, if I was a time-travelling dinosaur and stumbled upon that warehouse, I'd be pretty freaked out.
Vivian on 19/4/2007 at 17:14
Seeing as I spend most days at work modelling theropods musculoskeletal systems, I think I could count as an authority on dinosaurs. My supervisor was a consultant on jurassic park 3, don't think they paid too much attention to him either. But its been strongly suspected that dromaeosaurs had pennacious feathers since the sixties, and its been actually known for what, ten years? I guess jurassic park had an excuse for the first one, as fluffy dinosaurs would have eaten ILM's computers for breakfast, but really.
Stitch on 19/4/2007 at 17:48
Quote Posted by Uncle Bacon
Seeing as I spend most days at work modelling theropods musculoskeletal systems, I think I could count as an authority on dinosaurs.
Well holy fucking shit, that's awesome. Speaking as a minor league dinosaur obsessive you've just become a rock star in my eyes.
Anyway, I don't think the public is quite ready for feathered dinos yet, as popular dinosaur depictions tend to drag about twenty years behind science. I remember about a year ago I was in the car with my girlfriend at the time and some ad that mentioned a brontosaurus inspired an indignant dino nerd rant that resulted in her giving me the "I'm never having sex with you again" look.
Vivian on 19/4/2007 at 18:07
Yeah, I sympathise. I've learned to just shut up about dinosaurs when I'm at home, or I get the geek-hat.
You might have come across the stuff I'm doing then - did you see a year or so ago there was a piece of (
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/1844886.stm) spoilsport research that simulated a T rex hindlimb and proved (well, strongly indicated) that it wasn't a very fast runner? I'm following that up, kinda, with representative species from the theropod family tree. The general aim is to describe when and how the avian-style, crouched hindlimb appeared, and have a go at explaining why. It's great fun. I got to dissect an ostrich the other week.
I guess you're right about public perception lag thing, but (
http://www.marshalls-art.com/pages/ppaleo/largepaleo/largepg10/Dromaeosaurus.htm) feathery dromaeosaurs look great! That costume is incredible, but it's so reptilian-basic with it's muted colour schemes and slit pupils. Think how cool it would look with mad, staring owl eyes and birds of paradise plumes everywhere.
jay pettitt on 19/4/2007 at 18:17
Dinosaurs were extinct long before the 60's, and feathers didn't really come in until the 70's anyway, along with platform shoes.
Strangeblue on 21/4/2007 at 04:17
Wheeee! Cool-a-sauruses!
belboz on 25/4/2007 at 11:02
Maybe the guy that dont think birds and dinosaurs are related is a bird watcher, as they will go as far as killing someone to prove that birds and dinosaurs dont come from the same tree.
eg dinosaurs come from fern trees while birds come from pear trees.
