Secrets of the dinosaur mummy

The Australian ^ | December 04, 2007 | Nicola Berkovic

[Diamond]

MOST of what we know about dinosaurs has been pieced together from fossilised bones and teeth. But the unearthing of a mummified dinosaur in the US, with preserved skin and apparent soft tissue, has the potential to unlock biological secrets millions of years old.

The remains of the duck-billed hadrosaur are in such good condition - with its skin almost entirely intact - that it has already revealed the creature ran faster and was far more muscular than previously thought.

But the remains could offer an even greater insight into the evolution and biology of dinosaurs. [snip]

[Diamond]

"...with preserved skin and apparent soft tissue, has the potential to unlock biological secrets millions of years old."

If I may ask an irreverent question, can somebody please tell me how skin and blood vessels can survive intact for 67 millions years?

Cordially,

[scooter2]

If there’s any viable DNA, can you say Jurrasic Park?

[Taxbilly]

If I may ask an irreverent question, can somebody please tell me how skin and blood vessels can survive intact for 67 millions years?

Viagra

[Diamond]

So is WAS the drug companies that killed off the dinosaurs. I knew it!

Cordially,

[mnehring]

If it is in a completely sealed environment with no exposure to oxygen, then it will drastically reduce the level of decay. Bacteria has been found in crystals in very deep mines, estimated to be hundreds of millions of years old, that came back to life when exposed to air.

[DancesWithBolsheviks]

“If I may ask an irreverent question, can somebody please tell me how skin and blood vessels can survive intact for 67 millions years?”
Not certain, but until someone more knowledgeable comes along, I think it has to do with certain types of clay that the thing is buried in which may dessicate and/or provide bactericides that will prevent rot.

[mnehring]

Found some images.

[DancesWithBolsheviks]

Though I believe this preservative effect only needs to last long enough for fossilization - calcium slowly replacing cell structures.

[mnehring]

[bert]

Note the scales....they appear to be pentagonal rather than the expected hexagonal

[ShadowAce]

Though I believe this preservative effect only needs to last long enough for fossilization - calcium slowly replacing cell structures.

There was no fossilzation here. It is preserved skin and soft tissue.

[Diamond]

What if the dinosaur was not in a crystal, or in an airtight environment, then how would you explain that the flesh survived for 67 million years?

Cordially,

[mnehring]

Clay is a great sealant. Bacteria can’t grow and it seals off the animal from oxygen. It is like sealing it inside a rock.

[Sherman Logan]

They’ve dug up human sacrifices from Irish and German peat bogs that are thousands of years old and quite remarkably intact.

Big jump from that to 67M, it’s true.

[sauropod]

mark

[BenLurkin]

IBTHTP

[atlaw]

There was no fossilzation here. It is preserved skin and soft tissue.

Fossilized bone, skin, tendons and ligaments.

[Ken in Eastman]

Very interesting post. Thanks!

[Alter Kaker]

If I may ask an irreverent question, can somebody please tell me how skin and blood vessels can survive intact for 67 millions years?

They didn't. The skin and blood vessels were fossilized. The significant thing is that they were mummified before they were fossilized -- usually fossilization takes place after the soft parts of the animal have decayed. This article is badly written.

[Alter Kaker]

There was no fossilzation here. It is preserved skin and soft tissue.

Wrong -- and in fairness the author of the article is confused too. The skin and soft tissue were fossilized, which is extremely rare -- usually just bones are preserved.