Comments on: Dinosaur feathers in amber http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Fri, 24 May 2013 02:28:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Mister44 http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1218047 Mister44 Tue, 20 Sep 2011 05:42:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1218047 Don't laugh, I wouldn't put it past the Chinese to try. You can find whole snakes and lizards in their 'amber'. I reported around a dozen of them over time, but it's pretty much pointless :o/ They just come back. Sadly, unless they are all fake accounts, they have hundreds of 'happy' customers. Ignorance is bliss and what not. Don’t laugh, I wouldn’t put it past the Chinese to try. You can find whole snakes and lizards in their ‘amber’. I reported around a dozen of them over time, but it’s pretty much pointless :o/ They just come back. Sadly, unless they are all fake accounts, they have hundreds of ‘happy’ customers. Ignorance is bliss and what not.

]]> By: bnschlz http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1218034 bnschlz Tue, 20 Sep 2011 05:11:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1218034 FTA (behind paywall)"There is currently no way to refer the feathers in amber with certainty to either birds or the rare small theropods from the area (26). However, the discovery of end-members of the evolutionary-developmental spectrum in this time interval, and the overlap with structures found only in nonavian dinosaur compression fossils, strongly suggests that the protofeathers described here are from dinosaurs and not birds. " FTA (behind paywall)”There is currently no way to refer the feathers in amber with certainty to either birds or the rare small theropods from the area (26). However, the discovery of end-members of the evolutionary-developmental spectrum in this time interval, and the overlap with structures found only in nonavian dinosaur compression fossils, strongly suggests that the protofeathers described here are from dinosaurs and not birds. “

]]> By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1218025 Antinous / Moderator Tue, 20 Sep 2011 04:55:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1218025 Eh, call me when they find a honey badger encased in amber. Eh, call me when they find a honey badger encased in amber.

]]> By: Mister44 http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217998 Mister44 Tue, 20 Sep 2011 04:05:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217998 Sweet. That puts the couple pieces I have with bugs in them to shame. Word of the wise - be careful buying from eBay. A lot of what is sold is non-fossilized copal. Anything from China is fake resin. Sweet. That puts the couple pieces I have with bugs in them to shame.

Word of the wise – be careful buying from eBay. A lot of what is sold is non-fossilized copal. Anything from China is fake resin.

]]> By: Sean Closson http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217972 Sean Closson Tue, 20 Sep 2011 02:51:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217972 They actually think that larger theropod dinosaurs like T-Rex might have had light downy layers of feathers during their early development, and then lost them when they reached a certain size. In truth we don't know and the science of what we do know is changing on a daily basis. They actually think that larger theropod dinosaurs like T-Rex might have had light downy layers of feathers during their early development, and then lost them when they reached a certain size. In truth we don’t know and the science of what we do know is changing on a daily basis.

]]> By: NomadOfNorad http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217965 NomadOfNorad Tue, 20 Sep 2011 02:35:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217965 Well, there is that old joke that goes "Dinosaurs didn't go extinct, they just learned to hide in trees."  :D Well, there is that old joke that goes “Dinosaurs didn’t go extinct, they just learned to hide in trees.”  :D

]]> By: Paula Johanson http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217852 Paula Johanson Tue, 20 Sep 2011 00:11:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217852 Very probably they did taste kinda like chicken, since alligators and snakes do. Maybe they tasted more like ostrich, which is red meat and chewy. Very probably they did taste kinda like chicken, since alligators and snakes do. Maybe they tasted more like ostrich, which is red meat and chewy.

]]> By: First Last http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217676 First Last Mon, 19 Sep 2011 21:56:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217676 Birds are literally dinosaurs. Birds are literally dinosaurs.

]]> By: elk http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217659 elk Mon, 19 Sep 2011 21:45:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217659 Wow...that's GOT to be hundreds and hundreds of years old. Wow…that’s GOT to be hundreds and hundreds of years old.

]]> By: Nagurski http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217631 Nagurski Mon, 19 Sep 2011 21:34:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217631 The fossil record would be much more complete if Dinosaur Feathers in Amber hadn't been such a favorite at ancient Roman imperial banquets. The fossil record would be much more complete if Dinosaur Feathers in Amber hadn’t been such a favorite at ancient Roman imperial banquets.

]]> By: Guest http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217613 Guest Mon, 19 Sep 2011 21:22:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217613 Hee! :3 Hee! :3

]]> By: relawson http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217481 relawson Mon, 19 Sep 2011 19:56:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217481 Don't forget their tails dragged the ground, too! Don’t forget their tails dragged the ground, too!

]]> By: David Pescovitz http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217458 David Pescovitz Mon, 19 Sep 2011 19:39:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217458 But did they taste like it? But did they taste like it?

]]> By: Toby http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217432 Toby Mon, 19 Sep 2011 19:22:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217432 From what I've read, T-rex probably didn't have feathers, because it was too big and feathers would cause it to overheat (much like how many large mammals today aren't covered in hair). There have been T-rex skin imprints that showed scaly skin. But it's likely that many of the smaller theropods did have feathers on their bodies, making them look like long-tailed chickens.  From what I’ve read, T-rex probably didn’t have feathers, because it was too big and feathers would cause it to overheat (much like how many large mammals today aren’t covered in hair). There have been T-rex skin imprints that showed scaly skin.

But it’s likely that many of the smaller theropods did have feathers on their bodies, making them look like long-tailed chickens. 

]]> By: Brainspore http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217415 Brainspore Mon, 19 Sep 2011 19:12:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217415 I like science and all, but if this find proves that T-rex looked like a big chicken I swear to god I'm gonna punch a paleontologist. I like science and all, but if this find proves that T-rex looked like a big chicken I swear to god I’m gonna punch a paleontologist.

]]> By: ComradeQuestions http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217405 ComradeQuestions Mon, 19 Sep 2011 19:07:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217405 See?  This is why you get paid the big bucks:  to actually read abstracts.  :) See?  This is why you get paid the big bucks:  to actually read abstracts.  :)

]]> By: Guest http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217374 Guest Mon, 19 Sep 2011 18:53:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217374 yes, it's far far more likely that they did this research to further diminish your faith in humanity and science. Clearly. yes, it’s far far more likely that they did this research to further diminish your faith in humanity and science.

Clearly.

]]> By: Nagurski http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217375 Nagurski Mon, 19 Sep 2011 18:53:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217375 Obviously faked, since I know from my extensive research in Golden Books as a child  that dinosaurs were green, smooth skinned, cold-blooded and had brains the size of a walnut. They were too big, slow and stupid to live, and they were outfoxed by crafty mammals. Birds have feathers, and are another thing entirely. Obviously faked, since I know from my extensive research in Golden Books as a child  that dinosaurs were green, smooth skinned, cold-blooded and had brains the size of a walnut. They were too big, slow and stupid to live, and they were outfoxed by crafty mammals. Birds have feathers, and are another thing entirely.

]]> By: Mona Morgan http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217317 Mona Morgan Mon, 19 Sep 2011 18:26:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217317 Satan has placed them there to test our faith. Satan has placed them there to test our faith.

]]> By: David Pescovitz http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217276 David Pescovitz Mon, 19 Sep 2011 17:53:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217276 You really think the scientists were trying to "drive up readership" of their paper in the journal Science by making shit up?  From the abstract linked to above: "Late Cretaceous coal-rich strata from western Canada provide the richest and most diverse Mesozoic feather assemblage yet reported from amber. The fossils include primitive structures closely matching the protofeathers of nonavian dinosaurs, offering new insights into their structure and function."  You really think the scientists were trying to “drive up readership” of their paper in the journal Science by making shit up? 

From the abstract linked to above:

“Late Cretaceous coal-rich strata from western Canada provide the richest and most diverse Mesozoic feather assemblage yet reported from amber. The fossils include primitive structures closely matching the protofeathers of nonavian dinosaurs, offering new insights into their structure and function.” 

]]> By: Wisconsin Platt http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217265 Wisconsin Platt Mon, 19 Sep 2011 17:48:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217265 Beautiful Plumage. Beautiful Plumage.

]]> By: ComradeQuestions http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217247 ComradeQuestions Mon, 19 Sep 2011 17:40:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217247 Do they have evidence that these were actually dino-feathers?  Or is it simply that they took the time period and said, "Hey, what will drive up readership better than implying this has something to do with dinosaurs?" Do they have evidence that these were actually dino-feathers?  Or is it simply that they took the time period and said, “Hey, what will drive up readership better than implying this has something to do with dinosaurs?”

]]> By: John Pariseau http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217211 John Pariseau Mon, 19 Sep 2011 17:26:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/2011/09/19/dinosaur-feathers-in-amber.html#comment-1217211 Feathered dinosaurs? Possibly... or Walter Bishop was playing around up and sent a practical joke back in time. Feathered dinosaurs? Possibly… or Walter Bishop was playing around up and sent a practical joke back in time.

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