http://www.sliceofscifi.com/2008/04/25/t-rex-a-chicken/
Some scientists now believe the foracious looking monster known as Tyrannosaurus rex was really, genetically speaking, nothing more than a big bawk, bawk, bawk — Chicken.
In a recent report from LiveScience, written by Jeanna Bryner, T. rex's protein evidence acquired from soft tissue in the prehistoric animal's leg bone now confirms that the gigantic and scary looking T. rex belongs to the same family-line of chickens and the ostrich.
This new evidence lends further credence to the growing idea that today's living birds are the ancient, prehistoric dinosaur's closets relatives and that many were not lost to some mysterious disappearance of the past 60 million years ago, but simply evolved into modern day avians.
"We determined that T. rex, in fact, grouped with birds — ostrich and chicken — better than any other organism that we studied," said researcher John Asara of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School. "We also show that it groups better with birds than [with] modern reptiles, such as alligators and green anole lizards."
Until this new genetic evidence surfaced scientists have long suspected that many in the dinosaur world were most closely related to modern-day birds. However, up until this time, the idea rested largely on similarities between the outward appearances of bird and dinosaur skeletons and not on scientifically proveable data. Now all that has changed.
This new genetic evidence came from a prehistoric femur bone found in 2003 by Jack Horner of the Museum of the Rockies in the Hell Creek Formation. It dates to about 68 million years ago and comes from a "teenage T. rex" with some of its soft tissue still in good order and useful for testing of its genetically-linked protein structure. Though no genetic material was preserved, researchers were able to extract the proteins from the collagen tissues. By comparing the T. rex's protein sequences with those of 21 living organisms, a team of researchers say they have locked in the dinosaur-bird link. In the case of T. rex's collagen, "it was responsible for making hard bone so that the dinosaur could stand."
"The proteins are what carry out the function inside the cells and organs. So the protein does a lot of the work. That [protein] sequence was derived from DNA," Asara told LiveScience.
The Giant Thunder Lizard may have just merely been more annoying than terrifying!
This is great news, because on the same layer, next to the femur bone, they found a cardboard bucket with a strange looking man on it. He had a beard, and a leopard skinned bow tie. Which proves that KFD (Kentucky Fried Dinosaur) existed millions of years before it's updated sister chain KFC.
One Dinosaur caught, fed 1000. :lol2
Here is another bucket that was found.
It has been well know for many years that several dinosaur species share many traits with birds. Even back when I took science courses in college this was becoming pretty well accepted.
Quote from: Rico on April 25, 2008, 03:55:52 PM
It has been well know for many years that several dinosaur species share many traits with birds. Even back when I took science courses in college this was becoming pretty well accepted.
So, do lizards taste like chicken?
extra crispy, regular or bbq?
Dinosaurs must have had "Large Talons" unlike a "Tasty Bass" :roflmao
"I don't know what the heck you just said"
"I hope it's ok to pay you guys in quarters, I forgot my checkbook"
"Don't you wish you could just go back?"
"I got it on ebay"
Gosh!
Your mom goes to college!