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Bonus: Paleontology at the University of Manchester | National Geographic


I’m employed here at the University of

I’m employed here at the University of Manchester not only in the Department of

Manchester not only in the Department of

Manchester not only in the Department of Earth atmospheric and environmental

Earth atmospheric and environmental

Earth atmospheric and environmental sciences where a lecture as where I

sciences where a lecture as where I

sciences where a lecture as where I teach my courses on vertebrate

teach my courses on vertebrate

teach my courses on vertebrate paleontology and evolution I’m also

paleontology and evolution I’m also

paleontology and evolution I’m also based here at the Manchester Museum and

based here at the Manchester Museum and

based here at the Manchester Museum and here is where I do a lot of my research

here is where I do a lot of my research

here is where I do a lot of my research on the wonderful collections there is

on the wonderful collections there is

on the wonderful collections there is something in a region of 4 million

something in a region of 4 million

something in a region of 4 million objects held within the collections here

objects held within the collections here

objects held within the collections here at the managed Museum it is museum

at the managed Museum it is museum

at the managed Museum it is museum that’s been existent since the latter

that’s been existent since the latter

that’s been existent since the latter half of the 19th century four years ago

half of the 19th century four years ago

half of the 19th century four years ago we brought Stan the t-rex to Manchester

we brought Stan the t-rex to Manchester

we brought Stan the t-rex to Manchester you’d be surprised to know that it came

you’d be surprised to know that it came

you’d be surprised to know that it came in boxes it took us two hours to build

in boxes it took us two hours to build

in boxes it took us two hours to build and it was sort of self-assembly there’s

and it was sort of self-assembly there’s

and it was sort of self-assembly there’s over 200 bones in the skeleton of stan

over 200 bones in the skeleton of stan

over 200 bones in the skeleton of stan and we’ve got to fit them together into

and we’ve got to fit them together into

and we’ve got to fit them together into what is a dynamic running pose this is

what is a dynamic running pose this is

what is a dynamic running pose this is based upon the research that we’re doing

based upon the research that we’re doing

based upon the research that we’re doing here at the University of Manchester we

here at the University of Manchester we

here at the University of Manchester we put the running speed of Tyrannosaurus

put the running speed of Tyrannosaurus

put the running speed of Tyrannosaurus Rex but approximately 18 miles per hour

Rex but approximately 18 miles per hour

Rex but approximately 18 miles per hour that’s as fast as a pro footballer can

that’s as fast as a pro footballer can

that’s as fast as a pro footballer can run that’s quite respectable for an

run that’s quite respectable for an

run that’s quite respectable for an animal that probably weighed in between

animal that probably weighed in between

animal that probably weighed in between five and seven and a half tons

over the past two years we’ve tried very

over the past two years we’ve tried very hard at the University of Manchester to

hard at the University of Manchester to

hard at the University of Manchester to bring in new techniques into

bring in new techniques into

bring in new techniques into paleontology so it’s not so much a bunch

paleontology so it’s not so much a bunch

paleontology so it’s not so much a bunch of folks at the bottom of a hole digging

of folks at the bottom of a hole digging

of folks at the bottom of a hole digging for bones anymore that’s just part of

for bones anymore that’s just part of

for bones anymore that’s just part of the story we want to take it to the next

the story we want to take it to the next

the story we want to take it to the next stage the next level in terms of

stage the next level in terms of

stage the next level in terms of understanding of these wonderful fossils

understanding of these wonderful fossils

understanding of these wonderful fossils we pull from the ground the key thing is

we pull from the ground the key thing is

we pull from the ground the key thing is that these fossils can tell us so much

that these fossils can tell us so much

that these fossils can tell us so much about these extinct organisms and by

about these extinct organisms and by

about these extinct organisms and by studying the bones and studying the

studying the bones and studying the

studying the bones and studying the associated sediments the associated

associated sediments the associated

associated sediments the associated evidence treating I suppose a dig site

evidence treating I suppose a dig site

evidence treating I suppose a dig site like a scene of a crime we were able to

like a scene of a crime we were able to

like a scene of a crime we were able to piece together these shreds of evidence

piece together these shreds of evidence

piece together these shreds of evidence to a much more coherent story of what

to a much more coherent story of what

to a much more coherent story of what life was like in the prehistoric past of

life was like in the prehistoric past of

life was like in the prehistoric past of the planet a lot of the methods that we

the planet a lot of the methods that we

the planet a lot of the methods that we use here at the University of Manchester

use here at the University of Manchester

use here at the University of Manchester are quite unique to this department we

are quite unique to this department we

are quite unique to this department we have tried very hard to have an

have tried very hard to have an

have tried very hard to have an interdisciplinary approach where I’m not

interdisciplinary approach where I’m not

interdisciplinary approach where I’m not just working with other geologists and

just working with other geologists and

just working with other geologists and paleontologists but engineers physicists

paleontologists but engineers physicists

paleontologists but engineers physicists chemists and they’re all bringing their

chemists and they’re all bringing their

chemists and they’re all bringing their own particular skills to the science of

own particular skills to the science of

own particular skills to the science of paleontology

so it’s a very exciting time to be a

so it’s a very exciting time to be a paleontologist for the simple reason

paleontologist for the simple reason

paleontologist for the simple reason we’re looking into areas of science now

we’re looking into areas of science now

we’re looking into areas of science now which we felt the doors previously

which we felt the doors previously

which we felt the doors previously closed firmly shut to our own particular

closed firmly shut to our own particular

closed firmly shut to our own particular field of science it’s becoming very

field of science it’s becoming very

field of science it’s becoming very apparent but this is not the case

apparent but this is not the case

apparent but this is not the case you

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