Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Scorpion bigger than human described
world-science-news ^ | Nov. 30, 2005

Posted on 03/08/2006 1:17:15 PM PST by S0122017

Scorpion bigger than human described

Nov. 30, 2005 Courtesy Nature and World Science staff

A geologist working in Scotland has uncovered footprints that he says come from a fearsome water scorpion bigger than a human.

The Desert Hairy Scorpion Hadrurus arizonensis (Courtesy Imagers NASA Science Education)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The tracks were made about 330 million years ago by a six-legged creature called Hibbertopterus, according to Martin Whyte of the University of Sheffield, U.K.

Hibbertopterus was some 1.6 metres (5¼ feet) long and a metre (3¼ feet) wide, he added.

The tracks show that this now-extinct group of animals, previously thought to dwell in water only, could also survive on land, according to Whyte.

At around the same time as the creature lived, scientists believe our own four-limbed ancestors were also making their first steps towards leaving the water and colonizing the land.

The six-metre-long trackway reveals strides that were 27 cm (11 inches) long, and also features a central groove left by the creature’s dragging tail, according to Whyte. This, he added, shows the creature was probably a very slow, lumbering beast when moving on land.

Whyte described the finding in the Dec. 1 issue of the research journal Nature.


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: crevolist; fossils; hereiam; rockmelikeahurricane
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101 next last
To: S0122017

41 posted on 03/08/2006 1:40:41 PM PST by Lady Jag ( All I want is a kind word, a warm bed, and world domination)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BadAndy

LOL - good one.


42 posted on 03/08/2006 1:40:43 PM PST by mlc9852
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: nomorelurker
I know scorpions are not insects but arachnids. However don't they have a size limit because of how they breath?

Scientist think there used to be a lot higher oxygen content of the atmosphere, allowing animals and plants to grow bigger then nowadays, like dinos. http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s1440460.htm
43 posted on 03/08/2006 1:41:06 PM PST by S0122017
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: S0122017

44 posted on 03/08/2006 1:41:51 PM PST by finnman69 (cum puella incedit minore medio corpore sub quo manifestu s globus, inflammare animos)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: S0122017

Must make a great dinner!


45 posted on 03/08/2006 1:41:55 PM PST by mlc9852
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: S0122017
Old news....


46 posted on 03/08/2006 1:42:16 PM PST by Deut28 (Cursed be he who perverts the justice)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: All
330 million years ago? How about 1 million years B.C.? It sounds more like a creature from that movie. A classic photo......


47 posted on 03/08/2006 1:45:44 PM PST by edpc
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: S0122017

48 posted on 03/08/2006 1:45:50 PM PST by indcons (The MSM - Mainstream Slime Merchants)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: S0122017
Scientist think there used to be a lot higher oxygen content of the atmosphere, allowing animals and plants to grow bigger then nowadays...

You mean...

We're running out of air! We're running out of air! Gaaaak!

49 posted on 03/08/2006 1:46:16 PM PST by Shalom Israel (There's a reason cows ain't extinct.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]

To: mlc9852
I'm curious as to how they arrived at 330 million years ago.

The geology of the British Isles is one of the best studied in the world. They have a very clear understanding of the ages of the various geologic layers that those islands are comprised of. It would be simple to identify which layer this feature was located in, and obtain a corresponding age.

50 posted on 03/08/2006 1:48:21 PM PST by ElkGroveDan (California bashers will be called out)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: indcons
Like them Skorpions:


51 posted on 03/08/2006 1:49:01 PM PST by indcons (The MSM - Mainstream Slime Merchants)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: ElkGroveDan

Okay - by which method?


52 posted on 03/08/2006 1:50:06 PM PST by mlc9852
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 50 | View Replies]

To: S0122017
Old news....


53 posted on 03/08/2006 1:52:44 PM PST by Deut28 (Cursed be he who perverts the justice)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RockinRight
Possibly Ray Harryhausen had something to do with it:

Clash of the Titans ping!

54 posted on 03/08/2006 1:52:59 PM PST by Crolis (Conservatism: It does a body politic good!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: mlc9852

Multiple ones. But certainly not carbon dating, in case you were unsure.


55 posted on 03/08/2006 1:53:14 PM PST by ahayes
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: mlc9852
Okay - by which method?

Take your pick. My guess is every part of that area has been dated bynumerous different methods. My point is that there may be questiosn about the ages of various continental formations in various parts of the globe, but the UK is not one of them.

56 posted on 03/08/2006 1:53:46 PM PST by ElkGroveDan (California bashers will be called out)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: GreenFreeper

In some cases, extinction might not be such a bad thing! Creepy!


57 posted on 03/08/2006 1:54:14 PM PST by Chanticleer (Let us speak courteously, deal fairly, and keep ourselves armed and ready. T. Roosevelt)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: ahayes

Carbon dating only is good for about 50,000 years so that obviously wasn't the case here. Now do you know what type of dating they did use?


58 posted on 03/08/2006 1:54:30 PM PST by mlc9852
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 55 | View Replies]

To: S0122017
"The tracks were made about 330 million years ago "

Whew, I got scared there for a moment. Tons of scorpions here in Texas, gotta check yer shoes before you put them on!

59 posted on 03/08/2006 1:54:57 PM PST by WestCoastGal (If you believe you can't win, you have lost before the race has begun."-Dale Jr)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: S0122017
This site has a drawing
60 posted on 03/08/2006 1:56:30 PM PST by Old Professer (The critic writes with rapier pen, dips it twice, and writes again.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson