Diplodocus is a sauropod — one of those dinosaurs whose shape you probably associate with the name "brontosaurus". Except that Diplodocus was long. Really long. At an average length of 90 feet, it's longest dinosaur ever found. Also: It might have had spines up and down its neck. Check out this LiveScience piece by Kim Ann Zimmermann for more fun Diplodocus facts.

  • http://twitter.com/TheNewsIsBroken TheNewsIsBroken

    Kim Ann Zimmermann can also be seen being interviewed about her amazing new theory.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAYDiPizDIs

  • ROSSINDETROIT

    “Diplodocus was the longest dinosaur known from a complete skeleton. It averaged about 90 feet (27 meters) long, although adults could measure as much as 175 feet ”
    175 feet is rilly freakin’ long!

    • timquinn

      Yeah, but it’s mostly tail.

  • Milton Pope

    I was about to ask how any creature could hold up its head with a neck that long. From pictures, though, it appears that most of its overall length was in the tail. The neck, while impressive, has proportions similar to a giraffe (judging from a quick Wikipedia scan).

    • http://imcravingpresidency.tumblr.com/ SedanChair

      Yao Ming is pretty tall, but a lot of that is his legs. Also, his head is just a normal head, not some kind of giant head??? please explain

    • blueelm

      It also seems they couldn’t lift their head very high. 

    • chenille

      For those who prefer necks, there are always the nice sauropods here. Mamenchisaurus is particularly famous for having about half its length there.

  • Lord Humongous

    If you are ever in Bologna make sure to visit the Museo Geologico Giovanni Capellini.  It has a great specimen.
    http://www.museocapellini.org/paleonet/public/

  • http://twitter.com/rvitelli Romeo Vitelli

    ” Diplodocus was long. Really long.”   How long was it, Johnny?   (any other geezers out there miss Johnny Carson at times like this?)

  • iCowboy

    Its bones were also hollow which reduced their weight and take a look at those big crests on its vertebrae – that’s where enormous tendons and muscles attached to the bones.
    There was probably a lot of neck meat on these beasts, but it might have needed a long spell marinading to tenderise it ;)

  • Just_Ok

    How would you eat it?

    • Ashen Victor

       With a lot of patience.

    • acerplatanoides

      Apricot-Onion sauce, paired with a Chardonnay

    • Robert

      Hold it down with one foot, fold up your arms, and decapitate, T. Rex style.

    • Robert

      With fava beans and a nice Chianti.

  • Ariel Martin Perez

    It’s interesting to point that Brontosaurus is an inaccurate name, one that has somehow persisted in popular culture. Nowadays, the Brontosaurus species is called Apatosaurus.

    • Just_Ok

      There are Brontosaurausi on the planet Pluto.

  • acerplatanoides

    Spines on the neck, like a streetlight with pigeon spikes?

    • Rich Keller

      There’s a very good reason for those spines to be there. Have you ever tried to wipe archaeopteryx guano off of your windshield using just one of those little napkins that you get at Starbucks?

  • PurpleWyrm

    I can’t help but think of Anne Elk’s theory of the Brontosaurus (which would as easily apply to any sauropod)