Posted on 04/06/2019 9:49:14 AM PDT by BenLurkin
Dr. Stephen Brusatte, a Palaeontologist at University of Edinburgh and author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs, is among those that have questions around the extraordinary claims made by the team that have...
... said he was “very excited about this discovery” but noted aside from a single partial dinosaur hip bone mentioned in the paper, ideas of a dinosaur graveyard being reported in the media lack any real evidence so far.
“The New Yorker article reports a dinosaur graveyard with bones of many types of dinosaurs, along with feathers, eggs, and even embryos,” he said. “I’m afraid there just isn’t any evidence, aside from a single partial bone, for me or other dinosaur paleontologists to assess right now.”
Dr. Brusatte, 35, is widely recognized as one of the leading paleontologists of his generation.
He finds it strange that many of Mr DePalma’s claims presented in the media were not mentioned in the PNAS journal article.
“Lots of stuff in the New Yorker article is completely absent from the paper,” Dr. Brusatte added. “The geology is very credible but there isn’t enough evidence yet to assess the dinosaur aspect of the story.”
Brian Switek is a science writer who specializes in paleontology ...
He also finds it odd that such a high level of secrecy has been maintained around the site, while only some details have been included in the peer-reviewed journal.
It is typical practice for paleontologists to compile “faunal lists” of species present at a dig site, he explained, and he was surprised that one was not provided in the paper.
Mr. DePalma and his team have cited concerns around poaching for not opening the site up to many other researchers — something which does reportedly happen in the field.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
If it sounds like a hoax, that’s the way to bet.
There are similarities between Trump’s presidency and how the article reads about this find
DePalma’s lack of a Ph.D. and support from a major institution make him vulnerable to running out of funds or otherwise losing control of the site. Fortunately, the jolt of publicity and DePalma’s connections with a local museum and a state university in Palm Beach County are likely to generate an influx of cash and political support. There is enough private wealth in Palm Beach to quickly underwrite the staff and facilities necessary to fully exploit, analyze, and display DePalma’s discoveries. And I imagine a certain prominent sometime resident of Palm Beach might even be engaged to support such an effort in his official capacity.
Piltdown Man!
I gather that DePalma’s ability to control the site and leverage the popular press does not sit well with others in the field, but he has been burned twice in this cut throat world and he seems to be determined to avoid another burn. He knows someone from here in Kansas who was attacked by the “professionals” and in the end, chose to put his find on the open market. It got ugly and this one might end up the same way.
Those kinds of episodes are so common in paleontology that they seem intrinsic to the profession, or at least intrinsic to those who practice it.
No doubt. At least, they have stopped shooting at one another.
Money and control of the mechanisms of professional credit and public recognition are far more effective weapons.
This is why we call it FAKE NEWS. Duh.
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