2015

A simulation of jaw gape with a diagram showing the muscles' strain for (a) Allosaurus fragilis, (b) Tyrannosaurus rex and (c) Erlikosaurus andrewsi (Image Stephan Lautenschlager, University of Bristol. All rights reserved)

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An article published in the journal “Royal Society Open Science” describes a research on the mouth and in particular the opening of the jaws of various dinosaurs belonging to the suborder of theropods (Theropoda). Many of them were carnivores and especially the famous ones such as the Tyrannosaurus rex or Allosaurus are generally depicted with their mouth wide open, in a menacing pose.

However, so far there had never been a study to understand how wide those animals could open their jaws. Research conducted by a team led by Dr. Stephan Lautenschlager of the University of Bristol showed a clear relationship between their diet and their maximum jaw gape.

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Michael Lawson Bishop was born on November 12, 1945 in Lincoln, Nebraska, USA. His father was in the military so while growing up he spent a lot of time in various countries where he was serving. He started his career as a writer in the ’70, at first writing science fiction then also other genres. His most famous novel is “No Enemy But Time” (1982), winner of the Nebula Award.

Lieut. Gullivar Jones, His Vacation, also known as Gulliver of Mars, by Edwin L. Arnold

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The novel “Lieut. Gullivar Jones, His Vacation” (cover photo ©Simon Jones), also known as “Gulliver of Mars”, by Edwin L. Arnold was published for the first time in 1905.

US Navy Lieutenant Gulliver Jones found himself on Mars unexpectedly, thanks to a magic carpet. There he discovers ancient civilizations and strange places where people are in part very different from the Earth’s but otherwise similar. Slowly, he’s at least partly able to settle in one of Mars exotic city.

Among the people Gulliver Jones meets there’s the beautiful princess Heru. When a group of people with bad intentions kidnap the girl to give her to the sovereign of another kingdom, the Earthsman decides he’s going to save her at all costs. Jones begins a long and dangerous journey to find her.

Ornithomimus skeleton at the Royal Ontario Museum

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An article published in the journal “Cretaceous Research” describes the analysis of the fossilized remains of a skeleton of Ornithomimus, a dinosaur that lived in the late Cretaceous period, between 99.6 and 65.5 million years ago. This is the best example of this kind of dinosaurs found so far because the conservation of its feathers and skin is more extensive compared to the specimens previously found. Aaron van der Reest, the main author of the study, discovered these fossils in 2009 in the Dinosaur Provincial Park in Alberta, Canada.