Humpday History Highlight
By Wyatt Earp | August 12, 2009
Do these bones make her look fat?
August 12, 1990 – Skeleton Of Tyrannosaurus Rex Found
On this day in 1990, fossil hunter Susan Hendrickson discovers three huge bones jutting out of a cliff near Faith, South Dakota. They turn out to be part of the largest-ever Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton ever discovered, a 65 million-year-old specimen dubbed Sue, after its discoverer. Amazingly, Sue’s skeleton was over 90 percent complete, and the bones were extremely well-preserved.
Sue’s skeleton went on display at the Field Museum in May 2000. The tremendous T.rex skeleton–13 feet high at the hips and 42 feet long from head to toe–is displayed in one of the museum’s main halls. Another exhibit gives viewers a close-up view of Sue’s five foot-long, 2,000-pound skull with its 58 teeth, some as long as a human forearm.
Sue’s extraordinarily well-preserved bones have allowed scientists to determine many things about the life of T.rex. They have determined that the carnivorous dinosaur had an incredible sense of smell, as the olfactory bulbs were each bigger than the cerebrum, the thinking part of the brain. In addition, Sue was the first T.rex skeleton to be discovered with a wishbone, a crucial discovery that provided support for scientists’ theory that birds are a type of living dinosaur. (H/T – History.com)
Completely and utterly awesome! Sounds like the Field Museum could be a very interesting trip.
Topics: HHH | 8 Comments »
August 12th, 2009 at 9:25 pm
It is WELL worth the trip! And yeah, she’s a BIG ol girl…
August 12th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
My family visited the Field museum when the King Tut exhibit was there. The exhibit was minus the mummy, which no longer leaves Egypt, but was still fantastic. The head on the T-Rex is a mock-up as the real head (on display on the second floor) is somewhat distorted.
Of course we also had to visit Capone’s grave as well.
August 12th, 2009 at 11:41 pm
Old NFO – I could kick her ass!
Rodney – Was Geraldo there? Heh.
August 13th, 2009 at 12:37 am
We got to see her about a year or so after that exhibit opened… The Field is a great place…
August 13th, 2009 at 11:49 am
Sue is only one reason for a trip to the Field Museum. What an interesting place for young, old and everyone in between.
August 13th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
Hope they got the sex right. Otherwise there is going to be some angry T Regina!
August 13th, 2009 at 10:14 pm
As a retired CPD Dick who has been to the museum many times, they will probably give you a discount if you show them your badge. Make sure you give the museum a FULL day.
August 15th, 2009 at 5:11 am
Not many T Rex have their own website!
http://www.fieldmuseum.org/sue/