Friday, March 9, 2007

Fossilized Freak

I saw a preview recently for Meet the Robinsons, a new Disney film. The preview shows a Dinosaur, presumaby a T-rex, trying to reach a little boy, but he can't because his arms are too small.

And I got to thinking, how many complete T-rex skeletons have actually been found? More than one? I have no idea. But what if we are basing our understanding of T-rex anatomy from one skeleton? Might it be possible that the dinosaur who ended up as the fossil remains was a freak of nature dinosaur? Like the snake with two heads?

Maybe most T-rex's actually had longer, more useful arms. Maybe the fossil T-rex was unable to save itself from the tarpit because it, unlike the others, could not pull itself out with its puny arms.

I don't know anything about paleontology, or whatever the right ology is, but that is an interesting thought. At least it is to me.

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