2009-03-10 – Nate Murphy: noto paleontologo indagato per furto (paleontologist pleaded guilty to stealing)
Nate Murphy, il paleontologo scopritore di LEONARDO (un anatosauro “mummificato”), è indagato per aver sottratto un altro dinosauro.
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Paleontologist Murphy pleads guilty to stealing valuable dinosaur
By KIM SKORNOGOSKI • Tribune Staff Writer • March 10, 2009
Nate Murphy, the paleontologist whose famous discoveries graced the cover of Newsweek, pleaded guilty Monday to stealing a rare turkey-sized raptor from a Malta-area landowner.
Separate federal charges of stealing fossils from Bureau of Land Management property are pending. Federal prosecutors haven’t yet detailed what kind of fossils, saying only that the theft occurred between August 2006 and August 2007.
The maximum sentence for stealing federal government property is 10 years and a $250,000 fine.
The potential sentence on the state charges is far less severe — at most a judge could sentence Murphy to six months and fine him $50,000.
A presentence investigation was ordered before he returns to court for sentencing on May 27.
Murphy was the director of paleontology with the Dinosaur Field Station in Malta for 15 years before resigning July 1, 2007 — one month after the Montana Division of Criminal Investigations, the FBI and the Bureau of Land Management began their investigation.
Carolyn Schmoeckel, president of the Judith River Dinosaur Foundation, said she was surprised to hear Murphy changed his plea, considering that he has maintained the incident was just a misunderstanding.
Murphy told the Tribune that his son found the dinosaur underneath a fossilized turtle and he didn’t realize it was there when they excavated the site.
He said he mistakenly thought the raptor was discovered on land owned by Howard and JoAnn Hammond, on whose ranch he had an agreement to dig. It was actually on land owned by Bruce Bruckner and leased to the Hammonds.
But court documents allege Murphy first tried to hide the raptor’s discovery from other paleontologists, partners and the Hammonds. He then lied about where it was found, saying he excavated it near Saco, the documents say.
Murphy, therefore, claimed sole ownership of the raptor and didn’t have to share profits or control with the Hammonds.
Murphy arranged to loan the raptor fossil to the Black Hills Institute for the purpose of making molds and casts with 20 percent of royalties going to his private company.
Because the bones are so small, finding a raptor so well-preserved is rare. The fossil was complete with parts of fingers, the back of the skull, a fully articulated spine and the brain case. Prosecutors said selling casts of the raptor could bring in between $150,000 and $400,000.
Kevin O’Brien, spokesman for the Attorney General’s office, which is prosecuting the case, said Monday that for now the raptor remains in the state’s custody as evidence.
Eventually it will be returned to Bruckner, but O’Brien didn’t know how long that would be considering the pending federal charges.
Schmoeckel said the nonprofit foundation hasn’t approached Bruckner, but hopes the rare specimen could end up in the Great Plains Dinosaur Museum in Malta.
“We’re keeping our fingers and our toes crossed that — in the future — they would loan it or donate it to us,” she said. “It’s a very rare find because it’s so complete. The bones are so tiny and fragile — it’s unusual that they didn’t dissolve over the years.”
Murphy lives in Billings and continues to run a paleo-outfitting business that escorts paying amateurs to private land near Grass Range to dig for dinosaur fossils.
Murphy’s discoveries include a new species of long-necked dinosaur near Grass Range, a family of stegosauruses near Malta and three duckbills, which now share a home at Malta’s dinosaur museum.
His most amazing find was Leonardo, considered the world’s best-preserved dinosaur, complete with organs, skin and tissue. The fossil graced the cover of Newsweek and National Geographic and was the star of a Discovery Channel documentary.
It also is featured in a special year-long exhibit at the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences.
Kevin O’Brien, spokesman for the Attorney General’s office, which is prosecuting the case, said Monday that for now the raptor remains in the state’s custody as evidence.
Eventually it will be returned to Bruckner, but O’Brien didn’t know how long that would be considering the pending federal charges.
Schmoeckel said the nonprofit foundation hasn’t approached Bruckner, but hopes the rare specimen could end up in the Great Plains Dinosaur Museum in Malta.
“We’re keeping our fingers and our toes crossed that — in the future — they would loan it or donate it to us,” she said. “It’s a very rare find because it’s so complete. The bones are so tiny and fragile — it’s unusual that they didn’t dissolve over the years.”
Murphy lives in Billings and continues to run a paleo-outfitting business that escorts paying amateurs to private land near Grass Range to dig for dinosaur fossils.
Murphy’s discoveries include a new species of long-necked dinosaur near Grass Range, a family of stegosauruses near Malta and three duckbills, which now share a home at Malta’s dinosaur museum.
His most amazing find was Leonardo, considered the world’s best-preserved dinosaur, complete with organs, skin and tissue. The fossil graced the cover of Newsweek and National Geographic and was the star of a Discovery Channel documentary.
It also is featured in a special year-long exhibit at the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences.
source: greatfallstribune.com
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other links:
Montana: Plea in Dinosaur Fossil Theft
2009-03-08 – Gryposaurus monumentensis at the Hospital
Dinosaur Is First Patient at New Hospital
It was quite a debut for the Pomona Valley Health Center in Claremont. While its doors officially opened on Monday, it had already had its first patient. But the patient was nowhere near human.
According to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, the skull of Gryposaurus monumentensis, also known as the duck-billed dinosaur. It was the first to make use of the new center and its state-of-the-art, 64-slice CT scanner.
The fossil was discovered in 2002 during a paleontology trips conducted by Alf Museum of Paleontology on the grounds of the Webb Schools in Claremont.
The information gained through the scanning of the fossil will allow scientists in other parts of the world to study the dinosaur skull.
2009-02-19 – Prove tecniche di resurrezione
Mammut, quagga, dinosauri… La corsa alla resurrezione inizia dallo stambecco.
Ha però conquistato un importante primato, almeno dal punto di vista scientifico: è stato in assoluto il primo esemplare di animale estinto ad essere stato riportato in vita. Secondo i suoi “papà” questa tecnica, una volta affinata, permetterà di salvaguardare le specie a rischio. L’idea di utilizzarla per riportare in vita gli animali preistorici come i dinosauri, i mammut o le tigri dai denti a sciabola è invece ancora lontana: il loro DNA è irreparabilmente compromesso, anche se i loro resti si sono conservati apparentemente bene, per esempio nel ghiaccio. Attualmente ci sono diversi progetti finalizzati alla conservazione del DNA delle specie a rischio: uno dei più avanzati è Frozen Ark (arca surgelata) promosso dalla Zoological Society di Londra.
Vuoi scoprire tutto sul quagga? Estinto nel 1883, galoppa ancora oggi nelle praterie sud africane. Non è proprio identico all’originale ma… scoprine di più in questo video.
2009-02-18 – Los Angeles, Usa: trovato scheletro di Mammuth (Mammoth)
Paleontologia: Usa, scheletro mammuth trovato a Los Angeles
 CharlotteObserver.com |
A rare prehistoric mammoth fossil found in Los Angeles
WCBD - 8 ore fa
They call him “Zed,“ a nearly intact mammoth just discovered among a rare new prehistoric find at the world famous La Brea tar pits in Los Angeles.
Nearly intact mammoth skeleton a rare find CNN International
New, Amazing Fossil Finds @ La Brea Tar Pits KNX1070
RedOrbit - Associated Content - Science Daily (press release) - The Associated Press
e altri 356 articoli simili »
2009-01-27 – Svelato il segreto delle mummie di Palermo
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Mon, 26 Jan 2009 14:13:00
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Dai sotterranei di Palermo alle pagine del National Geographic, scoperto il segreto della mummia |
BOLZANO – Rischiava di andare perduto, invece – grazie agli studi dei ricercatori dell’Istituto per le Mummie e l’Iceman dell’EURAC – avrà risalto sulle pagine del National Geographic, sia nella versione italiana che in quella internazionale. Il prossimo numero della prestigiosa rivista scientifica, in uscita in Italia il 26 gennaio, documenta il lavoro che Albert Zink, direttore dell’Istituto, e Dario Piombino-Mascali, giovane antropologo siciliano, hanno condotto per svelare il mistero della formula utilizzata per conservare il corpo di Rosalia Lombardo, la mummia più famosa tra quelle custodite nelle Catacombe dei Cappuccini a Palermo. Nel capoluogo siciliano la mummia della piccola Rosalia, morta nel 1920 all’età di due anni, rappresenta una vera e propria attrazione turistica. Il fiocco che le solleva i capelli, i ciuffi che le ricadono sulla fronte e il volto paffuto e disteso contrastano con l’immagine macabra a cui solitamente una mummia viene associata e danno l’impressione che la bambina stia solo dormendo. Per ottenere questo risultato, l’imbalsamatore Alfredo Salafia aveva fatto ricorso a un sistema di conservazione permanente delle salme basato sull’iniezione di sostanze chimiche. La formula però era rimasta ignota. Solo in seguito alla ricostruzione della genealogia dell’imbalsamatore e all’incontro con gli eredi, i ricercatori dell’EURAC sono riusciti ad accedere ai suoi appunti e a ricostruire la misteriosa formula. “Si tratta di una miscela di formalina, glicerina, sali di zinco, alcool e acido salicilico”, spiega Dario Piombino-Mascali, ricercatore dell’Istituto per le Mummie e l’Iceman, “a cui si poteva aggiungere un trattamento del volto con paraffina disciolta in etere, per mantenere un aspetto del volto vivo e rotondeggiante”. Come sottolinea il National Geographic nel suo reportage, la scoperta ha un importante valore storico-medico, perché la soluzione messa a punto dall’imbalsamatore siciliano è uno dei primi esempi di uso della formaldeide per l’imbalsamazione umana. Nel corso delle ricerche si è anche pensato a come garantire la preservazione della salma di Rosalia Lombardo. “Ora che conosciamo il metodo di imbalsamazione a cui il corpo è stato sottoposto, possiamo avviare uno studio conservativo per salvaguardare la piccola mummia da un ulteriore degrado”, spiega Albert Zink. Oltre all’interesse di National Geographic Magazine, le ricerche dell’Istituto per le Mummie e l’Iceman hanno destato anche l’attenzione di National Geographic Channel che ha prodotto il documentario “Italy’s mystery mummies” in uscita il 3 febbraio negli Stati Uniti.(PRIMAPRESS)
fonte: http://www.primapress.it/news/120/ARTICLE/1882/2009-01-26.html
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2009-01-26 11:11
Paleontologia: svelato il segreto della mummia di Palermo Studio di Eurac Bolzano e di un ricercatore siciliano
(ANSA) – BOLZANO, 26 GEN – E’ stato scoperto il mistero della conservazione della mummia di Rosalia Lombardo a Palermo. Studi dell’Eurac di Bolzano e di Dario Piombino-Mascali, giovane antropologo siciliano, hanno svelato un sistema di conservazione basato su una miscela di formalina, glicerina, sali di zinco, alcool e acido salicilico a cui si aggiunge un trattamento del volto con paraffina disciolta in etere, per mantenere un aspetto vivo e tondeggiante. Al via, ora, uno studio conservativo per salvaguardare la piccola mummia da un ulteriore degrado. (ANSA).
fonte: http://www.ansa.it/site/notizie/regioni/trentino/news/2009-01-26_126297187.html
2009-01-17 – Dinosaurs on bid again: Triceratops horridus
AN EXCEPTIONAL DINOSAUR SKULL
Triceratops horridus
Cretaceous
Hell Creek Formation, Wibeaux County, Montana USA
Triceratops horridus skull on bid
This extremely rare find was discovered on a private ranch in Montana and has been tucked away in the rancher’s house for the past decade. It was kept in field jackets (the original matrix and wrapped in plaster) so the quality and completeness was unknown until the preparation began in July of 2008. One could imagine the pleasant surprise of the new owners when they discovered how complete this skull actually is, over 93% complete! The preservation and bone quality is superb and surprisingly very little distortion has occurred while buried for the past 68 million years. Rarely are dinosaur skulls of this large size found articulated and in one piece, so because of this, extra care and attention was given during the preparation as to not lose any of the scientific data.
This huge skull measures an impressive 7 ½ feet in length from the beak to the frill making this important specimen one of the largest of its kind and certainly among the most complete. Though the left brow horn was missing it is believe that it was sheared off in battle as the bone indicates it was broken off while the animal was still alive evidenced by signs of healing. Most of the restoration on this skull was on the missing horn along with small areas of the frill, eye orbits and nasal. The lower jaws were found intact and are virtually complete along with most of their original teeth, though most of the teeth in the upper jaws were missing. The frill stretches out over 5 feet wide and is naturally fused to the skull which is common on adult Triceratops. On younger animals the frill would have been separate (in three sections) and held in place by cartilage.
Another scientifically significant feature of this important skull is the presence of a complete and well preserved brain case which gives us a glimpse of how small their brains were in comparison to their huge and massive bodies.
Triceratops (meaning three-horned face) was a rhinoceros-like dinosaur that had a short, pointed tail, a bulky body, and walked on short, sturdy, column-like legs with hoof-like claws. They grew in lengths up to 30 feet, up to 10 feet tall, and weighed up to 12 tons, making it the largest dinosaur in the ceratopsians family. They are also among the most recognizable of all dinosaurs and are often portrayed in fearsome battle scenes with the feared Tyrannosaurus rex!
The skull, together with the lower jaws, has been professionally mounted on an adjustable custom steel armature with three height levels. Wheel casters are included in this display for easy movement. Comes complete with a photo history and documentation from the landowner.
full article: http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/6129067
2009-01-16 – USA officially designated state dinosaurs
While it seemsdefinitive to change the name of Texas official state dinosaur from
take a look to other officially designated state dinosaurs:
- Colorado: Stegosaurus
- District of Columbia: Capitalsaurus
- Maryland: Astrodon johnstoni
- Missouri: Hypsibema missouriensis
- New Jersey: Hadrosaurus foulkii
- Wyoming: Triceratops
Abot Texas see also
- full article: Mistaken Identity: Texas State Dinosaur Needs Name Change
- previous post: 2009-01-11 – Paluxysaurus could be the Texas official state dinosaur
- NB. The call for a name change is the result of 2007 research in the journal Palaeontologia Electronica in which Peter Rose, then at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, disputed the Texas dinosaur’s identity. A New Titanosauriform Sauropod (Dinosauria: Saurischia) from the Early Cretaceous of Central Texas and its Phylogenetic Relationships (print) 10.2.8A
2009-01-11 – Paluxysaurus could be the Texas official state dinosaur
Texas Legislature may name new species the official state dinosaur
12:00 AM CST on Saturday, January 10, 2009
Rep. Charlie Geren of Fort Worth submitted a bill this week that would officially designate paluxysaurus as the state dinosaur of Texas.
The bill would also strip that status from pleurocoelus, a sauropod that held the title for the geologically insignificant period of 10 years.
The change was made after Peter Rose, a former graduate student at Southern Methodist University, published a paper in 2007 concluding that bones found near the Paluxy River in Central Texas had been misidentified.
The bones in question were discovered near Glen Rose in 1997.
They were immediately hailed as the remains of pleurocoelus (pronounced pluro-SEE-lus), a 60-foot-long vegetarian weighing up to 45 tons. The first specimens were discovered 100 years ago in Washington, D.C.
When similar bones were found in Texas in the 1990s, they received statewide attention, and the Legislature followed with the official designation.
The bones were placed on prominent display at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, until they were removed a few years ago for renovation.
In the meantime, Rose’s research found paluxysaurus (pronounced pah-luxy-SAH-rus) to be a previously unknown species.
He was modest when asked Friday for his reaction to Geren’s bill.
“I think it’s good to have some attention paid to all the work on the project,” said Rose, who is now working on his doctorate at the University of Minnesota.
Geren’s staff directed questions to officials at the Fort Worth museum, who pushed to have the designation changed.
“We felt that we just want the designation to be accurate,” said Aaron Pan, the museum’s science curator.
And, as always, there is Lone Star pride to consider.
“We had to share pleurocoelus with Maryland and Virginia,” Pan said, “but paluxysaurus is unique to Texas – as far as we know.”
2009-01-08 – Alberta’s Dinosaur Provincial Park and 7 Wonders contest
Il parco dei Dinosauri dell Alberta, già patrimonio mondiale UNESCO, supera la prima fase dell’elezione alle “Sette meraviglie del mondo naturale”.
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Alberta’s Dinosaur Provincial Park advances in 7 Wonders contest
Last Updated: Wednesday, January 7, 2009 | 12:05 PM AT CBC News
Researchers collect the skull of Albertaceratops nesmoi at a dig site in Alberta. Dinosaur Provincial Park in Alberta is part of the New 7 Wonders of Nature competition. (Cleveland Museum of Natural History/Associated Press)
Over a billion people are expected to join in internet voting to nominate the 77 semifinalists for the top natural wonders. Votes can be cast until July 7, after which a panel of experts will select 21 finalists to be put to another popular vote, which is expected conclude in 2011.
“We are calling on people all over the world to actively show their appreciation for our … natural world by joining together to celebrate the most extraordinary sites on our planet,” said Tia Viering, spokeswoman of the New 7 Wonders campaign.
The Swiss-based non-profit foundation collected 441 nominations over the internet since it opened the selection process in 2007.
Dinosaur Provincial Park was named Canada’s official entry for the contest, after beating Newfoundland’s Gros Morne National Park, the Maritime’s Bay of Fundy, Quebec’s Rocher Perce and Ontario’s Long Point Sand Spit during the first round of voting, which finished on Dec. 31.
The provincial park, which lies in the valley of the Red Deer River, is renowned as one of the great fossil beds in the world. Thirty-nine dinosaur species have been unearthed there, with more than 500 specimens removed and exhibited around the world. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.
In addition to the 222 national nominees, the competition also named 39 additional nominees for those entrants that cross national borders. Niagara Falls and Lake Superior, shared between Canada and the United States, were among those.
The New 7 Wonders campaign, led by Swiss adventurer Bernard Weber, aims to support, preserve and restore monuments and natural sites.
The competition to choose natural wonders follows an earlier competition to name the world’s top man-made wonders.
About 100 million people voted in that competition, which finished in the summer of 2007 with the naming of the winners: the Pyramids of Giza, Egypt; the Colosseum, Italy; the Great Wall of China; the Taj Mahal, India; Petra, Jordan; Christ the Redeemer Statue, Brazil; Machu Picchu, Peru; and the Pyramid at Chichen Itza, Mexico.
2008-12-20 – PLEO !!!!
Visto l’interesse suscitato da PLEO vi consiglio questi link che esaudiranno le vostre richieste,
un consiglio, se ne avete le possibilità economiche Compratelo !!!! è meraviglioso !!!!:
(precednte post: 2008-09-01 – Il cucciolo di dinosauro PLEO sbarca in Italia)
Pleo – a UGOBE Life Form
www.pleoworld.it/ – 10k – Copia cache – Pagine simili
Pleo – Wikipedia
it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleo – 21k – Copia cache – Pagine simili
Il dinosauro Pleo in azione in un video
http://www.toysblog.it/post/1292/il-dinosauro-pleo-in-azione-in-un-video – 68k – Copia cache – Pagine simili
Pleo Blog. Il primo blog italiano sul dinosauro Ugobe
pleoblog.blogspot.com/ – 50k – Copia cache – Pagine simili
www.pleoworld.com/ – 17k – Copia cache – Pagine simili
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