@ Johnny Cat - You're right! Its first name translates as "Buffalo-head." The "cooneyorum" is Latin for "of Cooney," which is of course a proper noun; but the article doesn't indicate if it's a person or a place.
@ pwscott - Interesting theory, but avoiding predation is just one of many skills required for a species to last, and every species we know of had/has its special kung-fu. Also, ankylosaurs had very tiny brains that were more cerebellum than anything else. Most dino species we know of seem to have left fossils over a 10-million-year period before vanishing (dinos as a group seem to have thrived for 150 million years); Tatankacephalus thus probably lasted about 10 million years, after which it was supplanted by competing species, succumbed to disease or lost its food source. By the time of the KT extinction, Tatankacephalus was long gone, and in its niche were later ankylosaurs.
It's generally believed that a small species of dromaeosaurid (Velociraptor was one) called Troodon had the largest brain-to-body size ratio of all dinos, and probably had cat-like intelligence. This has led some to speculate that it would have evolved into a human-like creature (One depiction reminded me of a Sleestak from "Land of the Lost") if dinos hadn't all died out. This speculation is a bit naive - there's no reason for it to change shape to fit our idea of an "intelligent life form," and it would have taken over 10 million years to do this. But as brains go, Troodon was probably at or near the top of the class in its time.
Funny --- I seem to recall, a few years ago, then French President Jacques Chirac trying to one-up Russian President Vladimir Putin with a photo op. Putin had recently been photographed rowing a boat shirtless on vacation, and his ripped abs made him a sort of hero (and gay icon as well). So Chirac went on vacation and had himself photographed. Unfortunately, he wasn't so sculpted-looking, so it was Photoshop to the rescue!
Neat-o! Unfortunately, the headline kind of threw gasoline on one "creationist's" fire, implying "surprise." T.rex's tiny forelimbs have always been a bit of a mystery, and the hypothesis that it evolved from a smaller form with proportionally longer forelimbs makes sense. But any palaeontologist will freely admit that no evidence had been found that confirms that hypothesis. This fossil is certainly interesting and important, and should be taken into account when re-evaluating the hypothesis. But it doesn't necessarily blow it out of the water. Tyrannosauroids very likely lived in forested areas, and thus their fossils are rare as fossils go. We're still a long way from getting a clear picture of their development. I don't really think any palaeontologist was "surprised," though, in the sense that at least one detractor assumed. (He seems to think that scientists are "know-it-alls" who are surprised at every new discovery because they actually know nothing.) After all, flightless birds come in a wide range of sizes, so it's entirely possible that stubby-forelimbed dinos came in different sizes as well.
It's sad to see so many loudmouthed people vehemently defending their literal interpretation of a creation myth in the name of religion. This discovery has zero to do with religion. And of course the little 'roid's fossil was found among fish & clam fossils --- It was a complete skeleton, well-preserved, which means it was buried in mud immediately rather than left in the open. Being a land animal, it most likely died in a flash flood and was swept downstream. This does not support a "universal deluge" myth.
Further proof that logic needs to be taught in school.
Ein, zwei, drei, fier... Lift your stein and spill your beer! Drink, drink, spill! on hosen from China tailored to not show a stain! Drink, drink, spill! on hosen you wear at the pool or when caught in the rain! Here's to hoping these new pants won't bind, tightly, uncomfortably, soon around... mein... Erm... All I ask is the right to sport these Asian-made, leder-less faux-leder shorts. Drink! Drink! Let's make no offense! Leder-free hosen at lower expense! Drink, drink, drink! Let every Alpiner his toasting commence! Let's drink!
(If you don't get it, this might help: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbLl2C3ChYY )
I've suspected for decades that a spongy lattice would probably make a tire impervious to flats. I inquired about this, and was always met with puzzled looks and "Never saw nothin' like that." I figured that the reason we don't use them is because such tires would be too heavy, or grow too hot, make the ride too bumpy, or would have no problems but reduce tire sales due to greater efficiency. Only 35 seconds ago I'm discovering that such tires have been around for some time! I HATE being kept out-of-the-loop like that. I currently drive a 1999 Hyundai Accent. Is it possible for me to get flat-proof tires for it? If so, where would I look?
Thanks, Miss Cellania! I was trying to figure out if "Villet" was male or female, and the consensus seemed to be male. Sorry, Miss Villet.
You bring up a good point. Villet was rather well-treated, if she was taught how to write. Kids would usually do this, actually, but a master or mistress might want the slave to know how to read a grocery list for shopping excursions.
Schools in those days were one-room affairs in which the teacher would directly instruct the older students, who in turn would then instruct the younger students. It was not uncommon for the bossiest girl in the family to play "schoolmarm" when she got home, often using the slave children as her "students." Sometimes, someone actually learned something...
@ pwscott - Interesting theory, but avoiding predation is just one of many skills required for a species to last, and every species we know of had/has its special kung-fu. Also, ankylosaurs had very tiny brains that were more cerebellum than anything else. Most dino species we know of seem to have left fossils over a 10-million-year period before vanishing (dinos as a group seem to have thrived for 150 million years); Tatankacephalus thus probably lasted about 10 million years, after which it was supplanted by competing species, succumbed to disease or lost its food source. By the time of the KT extinction, Tatankacephalus was long gone, and in its niche were later ankylosaurs.
It's generally believed that a small species of dromaeosaurid (Velociraptor was one) called Troodon had the largest brain-to-body size ratio of all dinos, and probably had cat-like intelligence. This has led some to speculate that it would have evolved into a human-like creature (One depiction reminded me of a Sleestak from "Land of the Lost") if dinos hadn't all died out. This speculation is a bit naive - there's no reason for it to change shape to fit our idea of an "intelligent life form," and it would have taken over 10 million years to do this. But as brains go, Troodon was probably at or near the top of the class in its time.
(It's a "Seinfeld" reference.)
(Okay, I'm going to bed now. Sorry about that.)
It's sad to see so many loudmouthed people vehemently defending their literal interpretation of a creation myth in the name of religion. This discovery has zero to do with religion. And of course the little 'roid's fossil was found among fish & clam fossils --- It was a complete skeleton, well-preserved, which means it was buried in mud immediately rather than left in the open. Being a land animal, it most likely died in a flash flood and was swept downstream. This does not support a "universal deluge" myth.
Further proof that logic needs to be taught in school.
Ein, zwei, drei, fier...
Lift your stein and spill your beer!
Drink, drink, spill! on hosen from China
tailored to not show a stain!
Drink, drink, spill! on hosen you wear
at the pool or when caught in the rain!
Here's to hoping these new pants won't bind,
tightly, uncomfortably, soon around... mein...
Erm...
All I ask is the right to sport
these Asian-made, leder-less faux-leder shorts.
Drink! Drink! Let's make no offense!
Leder-free hosen at lower expense!
Drink, drink, drink!
Let every Alpiner his toasting commence!
Let's drink!
(If you don't get it, this might help: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbLl2C3ChYY )
You bring up a good point. Villet was rather well-treated, if she was taught how to write. Kids would usually do this, actually, but a master or mistress might want the slave to know how to read a grocery list for shopping excursions.
Schools in those days were one-room affairs in which the teacher would directly instruct the older students, who in turn would then instruct the younger students. It was not uncommon for the bossiest girl in the family to play "schoolmarm" when she got home, often using the slave children as her "students." Sometimes, someone actually learned something...