Squirrels That Predict the Future -- Sauropod Mystery Stones

New York Times ^ | January 2, 2007 | Henry Fountain

[SunkenCiv]

The sauropod dinosaurs were the largest land creatures ever, with some specimens tipping the scales at up to 60,000 pounds.

They were vegetarians, however, and scientists have long wondered how they could have eaten enough to grow so big. They had small heads and pointy teeth, ill-suited to mashing up the large quantities of vegetation needed. So some scientists have suggested that the dinosaurs must have swallowed stones and used them to grind up the food, much the way modern birds do in their gizzards. Such stones, or gastroliths, have been found in fossil sauropods.

But a new study by Oliver Wings and P. Martin Sander of the University of Bonn in Germany makes the case that these fossil gastroliths were not part of any dinosaur food mill.

[GoLightly]

Since I know about all of the junk that cows have been known to eat, I think I'd be surprised to to learn that another much larger herbivore didn't have some junk in it's gut.

The magnets are almost a case of truth is stranger than fiction. Now that you've heard about them, bet you'll remember & maybe you'll be the one adding a bit of odd knowledge to some conversation some day. LOL

[wafflehouse]

definitely.. odd things like this tend to stick in my head :-P