Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries
October 27, 2007 – March 2, 2008
RALEIGH—Imagine the thrill of discovering something brand-new about a creature that lived millions of years ago. Ever since the first dinosaur fossil was identified almost 200 years ago, people have wondered how these fascinating animals lived, moved and behaved. At first, dinosaur hunters used only such tools as a keen eye, shovels and compasses. Today, scientists also rely on everything from satellite technology to scanning electron microscopes.
Prepare to take a journey of discovery into the exciting world of modern paleontology. New dinosaur fossils are being discovered faster than ever before. Advanced technology allows scientists to look at these fossils in fresh ways, and researchers are gaining surprising insights into these amazing animals. New discoveries, new technology and new ideas are helping today's scientists piece together what these living, breathing dinosaurs were really like.
Specific features include:
- A stunning 60-foot-long model of an Apatosaurus skeleton.
- A full-size cast skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus rex.
- A robotic six-foot-long mechanical T. rex skeleton walking in place that is the most accurate three-dimensional representation of a dinosaur in motion ever created.
- A life-size model of a newly identified primitive tyrannosaur, Dilong paradoxus, covered with branched protofeathers — precursors to the feathers found on living birds.
- One of the largest re-creations of a prehistoric environment ever built. The 700 square foot diorama is a scientifically accurate representation of life as it was 130 million years ago in one of the most important locations for fossil discovery, the Liaoning Province.
A model of a Microraptor gliding between trees with wings on both its arms and its legs. Discoveries like this provide further compelling evidence that birds are living descendants of theropod dinosaurs. - A large “trophy wall” of mounted dinosaur skulls, ranging from the three-horned Triceratops to the dome-headed Pachycephalosaurus, which illustrates the latest theories on the purposes of the unusual horns, frills, crests and domes found on many dinosaur skulls.
- A 15-by-10-foot re-creation of the famous Davenport Ranch Trackway, a collection of sauropod and theropod dinosaur prints unearthed in Texas in the 1930s and 1940s. Recent analysis of the tracks has revealed new ideas on the herding behavior of these dinosaurs.
- A model of the largest Mesozoic mammal yet uncovered, the badger-sized Repenomamus giganticus.
- A newly collected sedimentary slab, which clearly shows a thin layer of iridium. Scientists believe this layer represents the remnants of a massive meteoroid that vaporized upon impact and contributed to the extinction of more than half of all species on Earth.
- Three large high-definition video screens showing a computer animation of a steel Apatosaurus skeleton that morphs into a realistic fossil skeleton then gradually adds layers of muscle and skin to build a full-fleshed Apatosaurus.
To complement “Dinosaurs,” the Museum is planning a wide range of lectures, workshops and other programs and activities for adults, families and children. For information, stay tuned to www.naturalsciences.org.
This exhibition is organized by the American Museum of Natural History (New York), in collaboration with the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Houston Museum of Natural Science; California Academy of Sciences (San Francisco) and The Field Museum (Chicago).
The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, in downtown Raleigh, documents and interprets the natural history of the state of North Carolina through exhibits, research, collections, publications, and educational programming. Hours: Mon.-Sat., 9 am to 5 pm, and Sun., noon to 5 pm. Admission is free. Visit the Museum on the Web at naturalsciences.org. The Museum is an agency of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, William G. Ross Jr., Secretary.
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