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Scientists Find Dinosaur Tracks in Utah [Skid Marks]
Science - AP ^
| 2004-03-26
Posted on 03/26/2004 12:55:40 PM PST by Junior
SALT LAKE CITY - Amid well preserved dinosaur footprints along what used to be the shores of a prehistoric lake in southern Utah, scientists have found the rare signs of a dinosaur's posterior.
Two impressions, made about 200 million years ago when the dinosaur sat down, were found March 17 in St. George, in southwestern Utah, as scientists were investigating the area around a planned dinosaur museum.
Despite the potential importance of the impressions, they may be destined for destruction.
To build a structure to protect nearby dinosaur tracks, backhoes would trample the delicate new find in a few weeks, said Andrew Milner, St. George's city paleontologist.
"We're pressed for time," he told The Salt Lake Tribune. "It's a little bit disappointing."
It appears the 20-foot-long dinosaur, likely related to dilophosaurus, sat down, stood up, walked a few paces and sat down again before walking away.
"We're working really hard to document this thing up and down, backward and forward," said James Kirkland, the state paleontologist.
Scientists hope to remove the impressions intact, but some prints may be destroyed in the process, Milner said. Researchers have photographed and traced over the area and will create a latex impression of it, Milner said.
Utah was a vast desert in the Jurassic era, when the impressions and other footprints were made, and the 100-mile-wide body of water was likely an oasis. Milner said the freshwater lake supported many species of fish, which could have served as dinosaur food.
Martin Lockley, a geologist at the University of Colorado at Denver, saw the impressions last week and called them a significant find.
"Traces of squatting dinosaurs are very rare," Lockley said. Information gleaned from these traces could offer new insights into dinosaur behavior.
In August, St. George will open a $1.2 million museum at the site of the tracks, where more dinosaur footprints will be uncovered in a climate-controlled environment, said Gary Sanders, the city's community arts and exhibitions administrator.
Sheldon Johnson discovered the dinosaur tracks on his farm in 2000 and later donated the site to the city.
TOPICS: Miscellaneous; US: Utah
KEYWORDS: dinosaur
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1
posted on
03/26/2004 12:55:41 PM PST
by
Junior
To: PatrickHenry; VadeRetro; Piltdown_Woman; RadioAstronomer; Ichneumon
"Seventh Planet" ping.
2
posted on
03/26/2004 12:56:37 PM PST
by
Junior
(No animals were harmed in the making of this post)
To: Junior
Time for someone to post a funny cartoon of a dinosaur.
3
posted on
03/26/2004 12:56:48 PM PST
by
job
(Dinsdale?Dinsdale?)
To: job
4
posted on
03/26/2004 12:58:09 PM PST
by
ASA Vet
("Anyone who signed up after 11/28/97 is a newbie")
To: Junior
LOL
See...? In 70 or 80 million years, the impressions your butt made on a beach might be worth something too.
5
posted on
03/26/2004 12:58:37 PM PST
by
Aracelis
To: job
I'm picturing a dinosaur doing the "butt scoot" much like my pair of demonic cats occasionally engage in.
6
posted on
03/26/2004 12:59:57 PM PST
by
Junior
(No animals were harmed in the making of this post)
To: Piltdown_Woman
I guess it beats the ol' Xerox...
7
posted on
03/26/2004 1:00:32 PM PST
by
Junior
(No animals were harmed in the making of this post)
To: Junior
A serious candidate for the Barney Frank achievement award.
8
posted on
03/26/2004 1:00:38 PM PST
by
PatrickHenry
(Verily, I am the most misunderstood of freepers.)
To: Piltdown_Woman
I don't even want to think about the impression some folks would leave.
9
posted on
03/26/2004 1:00:40 PM PST
by
ASA Vet
("Anyone who signed up after 11/28/97 is a newbie")
To: farmfriend
Fossil ping.
To: PatrickHenry
Barney ... dinosaur ... hee hee hee...
11
posted on
03/26/2004 1:01:37 PM PST
by
Junior
(No animals were harmed in the making of this post)
To: Junior
Are you sure Ted Kennedy the captain of the USS Oldsmoblie hasnt been in Utah lately?
To: Junior
13
posted on
03/26/2004 1:02:54 PM PST
by
SGCOS
To: Lurking Libertarian
No doubt, fossilized dino dung is near by.
14
posted on
03/26/2004 1:05:41 PM PST
by
ChevyZ28
(We can make the plans of our heart, but the final out come is in God's hands.)
To: Junior
Scientists Find Dinosaur Tracks in Utah [Skid Marks]Well, one things for sure. There wasnt a lawyer in his path.
To: Junior
Scientists Find Dinosaur Tracks in Utah The big question is, how fresh are they! ;>)
16
posted on
03/26/2004 1:12:46 PM PST
by
HenryLeeII
("The war on terror is not a figure of speech, it is an inescapable calling of our generation." -GWB)
To: ASA Vet
I certainly hope future paleontologists don't find those two old fossils...they might get an entirely incorrect idea of our civilization.
17
posted on
03/26/2004 1:29:25 PM PST
by
Aracelis
To: Junior
My Lab/Springer/Heeler mix leaves belly prints after every rain; maybe I should preserve them so they won't be lost to history. Seriously, the Dinosaur was probably recently adopted and hadn't learned how to properly sit-up and beg.
To: Junior
When some people sit down, it makes a lasting impression. Rep. Nadler, D-NY has made some marks that will be around for some time.
To: Junior
Uh ... another thread on this was posted a few minutes before this one:
HERE.
20
posted on
03/26/2004 3:26:32 PM PST
by
PatrickHenry
(Verily, I am the most misunderstood of freepers.)
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