How Scientists Estimate the Weight of Extinct Dinosaurs

Imagine that youre a paleontologist examining the fossilized remains of a new genus of dinosaur--a hadrosaur, say, or a gigantic sauropod. After youve figured out how the specimens bones are put together, and what type of dinosaur youre dealing with, you eventually go on to estimate its weight. One good clue is how long the type fossil is, from the tip of its skull to the end of its tail; another is the estimated or published weight estimates for comparable types of dinosaurs. If youve discovered a huge titanosaur from late Cretaceous South America, for example, you might venture a guess of 80 to 120 tons for a full-grown adult, the approximate weight range of South American behemoths like Argentinosaurus and Futalognkosaurus. Now imagine that youre trying to estimate the weight not of a dinosaur, but of an obese stranger at a cocktail party. Even though youve been around human beings all of your life, of all shapes and sizes, your guess is more likely than not to be inaccurate: you might estimate 200 pounds when the person actually weighs 300 pounds, or vice-versa. (Of course, if youre a medical professional, your guess will be much closer to the mark, but still potentially off by 10 or 20 percent, thanks to the masking effect of the clothing the person is wearing.) Extrapolate this example to the 100-ton titanosaur mentioned above, and you can be off by as many as 10 or 20 tons. If guessing the weight of people is a challenge, how do you pull off this trick for a dinosaur thats been extinct for 100 million years? How Much Did Dinosaurs Really Weigh? As it turns out, recent research demonstrates that experts may have been drastically overestimating the weight of dinosaurs, for decades. Since 1985, paleontologists have used an equation involving various parameters (the total length of the individual specimen, the length of certain bones, etc.) to estimate the weight of all kinds of extinct animals. This equation produces reasonable results for small mammals and reptiles but veers sharply from reality when larger animals are involved. In 2009, a team of researchers applied the equation to still-extant mammals like elephants and hippopotamuses and found that it vastly overestimated their weight. So what does this mean for dinosaurs? At the scale of your typical sauropod, the difference is dramatic: whereas Apatosaurus (the dinosaur previously known as Brontosaurus) was once thought to weigh 40 or 50 tons, the corrected equation puts this plant-eater at a mere 15 to 25 tons (though, of course, it doesnt have any effect on its enormous length). Sauropods and titanosaurs, it seems, were much more slender than scientists have given them credit for, and the same probably applies to plus-sized duckbills like Shantungosaurus and horned, frilled dinosaurs like Triceratops. Sometimes, though, weight estimates veer off the tracks in the other direction. Recently, paleontologists examining the growth history of Tyrannosaurus Rex, by examining various fossil specimens at various growth stages, concluded that this fierce predator grew much more quickly than was previously believed, putting on as many as two tons per year during its teenaged spurt. Since we know female tyrannosaurs were bigger than males, this means that a full-grown T. Rex female may have weighed as much as 10 tons, two or three tons heftier than previous estimates. The More Dinosaurs Weigh, the Better Of course, part of the reason researchers impute enormous weights to dinosaurs (though they may not admit to it) is that these estimates give their findings more heft with the general public. When youre talking in terms of tons, rather than pounds, its easy to get carried away and carelessly attribute a weight of 100 tons to a newly discovered titanosaur, since 100 is such a nice, round, newspaper-friendly number. Even if a paleontologist is careful to tone down his weight estimates, the press is likely to exaggerate them, touting a given sauropod as the biggest ever when in fact it wasnt even close. People want their dinosaurs to be really, really big! The fact is, theres still a lot we dont know about how much dinosaurs weighed. The answer depends not only on measures of bone growth, but on other still-unresolved questions, such as what type of metabolism a given dinosaur possessed (weight estimates can be very different for warm-blooded and cold-blooded animals), what kind of climate it lived in, and what it ate on a daily basis. The bottom line is, you should take the weight estimate of any dinosaur with a big grain of Jurassic salt--otherwise, youll be sorely disappointed when future research results in a slimmed-down Diplodocus.

Benefits Of Shortening The School Day - 843 Words

Shortening the school day is a conversation popping up all across the United States stemming from reasons such as financial concerns to increased need of collaboration. In this case study, the school is only planning on shortening Wednesday’s with the intention of providing teachers with increased time for professional development. Some taxpayers may have concern regarding the initial tax dollars that would be required to fund the initiative due to the extended contact costs. While it must be acknowledged that there are many layers to this scenario, including Board of Education approval, district support, negotiations, etc., we can assume that many conversations will be needed before, during, and after this proposal. Therefore, effective communication will continue to serve as the lifeblood that runs and links the individual, group, and entire organization (slide set 1) even through this building initiative. Senior citizens, business community members, and parents will al l need to be addressed sensitively and simultaneously in this administrator’s overarching goal of achieving support. Senior citizens, business community members, and parents need both written and oral communication regarding this proposal. According to Green, in order for communication to have the greatest impact, both the content of the message and the feelings of the sender must be considered. Electronic communication, while a fantastic model, should not be the only tool used to interact withShow MoreRelatedRevising Our Immigration Process?1094 Words   |  5 Pagescountries are not as privileged as the US; most countries have a poor economy, with not many outlets to a good education, or are in a time of war and upheaval. America has been able to advance so much throughout history with more and better technology, schools, medicine, job opportunities, etc. Some may say allowing more immigrants into the US may lead to giving terrorists more of an opportunity to let themselv es in or how they will be taking away American jobs. Those are reasonable answers, although, theRead MorePersuasive Essay On Four Day School Week1223 Words   |  5 Pages How would it sound if school weeks were only four days long and, in doing that, it saved your school money at the same time? Well, for some rural schools across the nation, this has become a reality. Four day school weeks are becoming a necessity for some rural school districts that lack funding. It provides a realistic way for schools to remain open and also has added benefits beyond saving money. Four day school weeks may not be a realistic situation for all schools throughout the nation, butRead MoreThe Effects Of School Start Time On Student Learning1169 Words   |  5 Pagesobtaining more sleep improves overall performance in school. â€Å"Delaying school start times by one hour, from roughly 7:30 to 8:30, increases standardized test scores by at least 2 percentile points in math and 1 percentile point in reading† (â€Å"THE IMPACT OF SCHOOL START TIMES†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). If students are more alert because of increased sleep, classroom performances will improve, which will benefit the school as a whole. Not only will grades increase, schools will be able to save money with a later start. AccordingRead MoreDota 2 : An Online Multiplayer Video Game1274 Words   |  6 Pages2015, half of which are rated teen or mature. With so many violent video games sold, a great deal of controversy has arisen, question the effects of video games in the most popular age group, young children. 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We use words to store and access memories or other information. For Latinos children and especially recent arrivals whose language is Spanish entering to school where their primary language (Mother tongue) has no validation neither use may be traumatic and even hinder their future opportunities to succeed in a school system that is complete foreign in concept and in language. In order to integrate and create opportunities for the Latino students to succeed the in the educational systemRead MoreObesity : A Cultural And Behavioral Change Among Americans930 Words   |  4 PagesUnited States† (51). Behavioral changes such as engaging in physical activity and becoming educated about the body can help reduce obesity. Obesity can have a number of risks and complications on the mind and body. A recent study conducted by Harvard school of Public Health determined â€Å"excess weight, especially obesity diminishes almost every aspect of health, from reproductive and respiratory function to memory and mood (2015). Some of the medical problems obesity can cause are type two diabetes, heart

Practicum Learning Agreement Essays - 939 Words

University of Phoenix Material Practicum Learning Agreement | | | | | * Practicum Goal: * Prevent further complications in respiratory distress by educating the nurse on the use of CPAP and BiPAP to support the patient population with acute respiratory distress and other chronic respiratory illness. | * Complete this column for Week One – NUR/590A | * Complete this column for Week Two – NUR/590A | * Complete this column for Week Two – NUR/590A | * Complete Before Midpoint Review | * Complete Before You Start NUR/590B | * Learning Objectives | * Learning Strategies | * Evidence of Accomplishments | * Midpoint Review (at 30 hours of Practicum Project) | * Outcome- To Be Completed†¦show more content†¦| * Learning Objectives | * Learning Strategies | * Evidence of Accomplishments | * Midpoint Review (at 30 hours of Practicum Project) | * Outcome- To Be Completed Prior to Starting NUR/590B | * 2.0 Create a program outline in relation to the specific learning needs regarding the use of CPAP or BIPAP from the learning needs assessment * * | * 2a) Review current hospital policy and procedure of the CPAP and BIPAP use on a telemetry unit * * * * * * * 2b) Analyze needs assessment in developing a program outline with mentor and make changes as suggested * * * 2c) Administer the program outline that includes: objectives, program outlined, handouts, and power point presentation with speaker notes | * 2a) Document review of hospital policy and procedures in practicum journal * * * * * * * * 2b) Submit a copy of the needs assessment program outline with changes in the practicum journal * * * * * 2c) Document review of program outline with mentor in practicum journal * * * * * * 2d) Submit program outline and power point presentation with sp eaker notes inShow MoreRelatedThe Evidence Presented In The UnitS Ir, Addendum, Observations1063 Words   |  5 Pagesthe onsite team, onsite documents provided by the unit or on the OneDrive site, and interviews with unit faculty, school based faculty alumni, and candidates support the continuing effort of the unit to design, implement, and evaluate field and practicum experiences to help candidates develop their knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions. 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In this regard, I would likeRead MoreThe Progress Of Doctor Of Nursing Practice ( Dnp ) Degree And Its Place Originated Over 10 Years Ago873 Words   |  4 PagesDNP programs that offer education concentrations or educational leadership options provide experienced master s-prepared nurses with formal preparation in educational theory, testing, evaluation, curriculum development, and a capstone educational practicum. They contend that graduates of these education-focused DNP programs are prepared to develop, implement, and evaluate nursing curriculum, as well as be involved in the scholarship of teaching (Melnyk, 2013). Most recently, the Institute of Medicine

Gossip Girls Free Essays

How many times a day do you gossip . . . We will write a custom essay sample on Gossip Girls or any similar topic only for you Order Now .Either as a sender or receiver? Although you may think gossip is harmless, it can have some pretty serious consequences. It did for four former employees of the town of Hooksett, Mew Hampshire, who were fired by the city council for gossiping about their boss. They learned the hard way that the gossip can cost you your job. The longtime employees were fired because one of the woman had used derogatory terms to describe the town administrator and because all of them had discussed a rumor that he was having an affair with a female subordinate. All four of the woman acknowledged feeling resentment toward the woman. Who worked in a specially created position and was paid more than two of the employees, despite having less experience and seniority. Despite an appeal of their dismissal by the four employees, the Hooksett council didn’t budge and stated. â€Å"These employees do not represent the best of the town of Hooksett and the false rumors, gossip and derogatory statement have contributed to a negative working environment and malcontent among their fellow employees. † Despite national media attention and a petition signed by 419 residents, asking for the woman to be reinstated, the city council hasn’t wavered on its decision. An attorney for the four women said that his clients were, â€Å"legitimately questioning the conduct of their supervisor, and whether the female subordinate was getting preferential treatment. It almost cheapens it to call it gossip. It might have been idle, not particularly thoughtful, talk. But there was no harm intended. How to cite Gossip Girls, Papers

Teaching Assistant free essay sample

Describe how you might contribute to a lesson given to a group of seven year old children learning to play percussion instruments. As a Teaching Assistant my role is to maximise learning, create a safe and positive environment and minimise behavioural problems. To achieve these aims communication with the class teacher is essential and knowledge of the learning objectives that are to be achieved should be understood. Prior to a lesson where children are taught to play percussion instruments one of my roles will be to set up the learning environment ensuring the classroom is clean, safe and tidy. The desks and chairs will need to be laid out in a manner suitable to allow the instruments to be used safely and correctly. The required number of instruments should be checked and all instruments should be cleaned and ensured that they are safe and in working order. Good preparation beforehand will save time and prevent boredom therefore minimising behavioural problems. For searching the internet; an activity could be carried out with the class whereby the class come up with a list of suitable search terms, having entered the each terms, the teacher and groups compare the results of the search returns from the different search strings. To encourage independence in the development of ICT skills the teaching assistant will need to select and use appropriate learning packages, access information and follow instructions, skill might include. Shutting down use of appropriate software packages  accessing and using learning programmes accessing information files/CD roms/internet using electronic communication I. E. e-mails, fax and video conferencing. The teaching assistant can support the culture of independent learning in the pupil by; providing an appropriate level of assistant to enable pupils to experience a sense of achievement. Maintaining self-confidence and encourage self help skill in the use of ICT having the ability to operate ICT equipment s afely using ICT equipment effectively as a learning resource.

William Seward, John Calhoun, and Daniel Webster free essay sample

All three of them established themselves for nationalist causes, but they had different views on slavery. Seward opposed slavery, while Calhoun was pro-slavery, while Webster took a safe ground by making compromises to both pro- and anti-slavery states. Seward rose to political prominence in New York in the sasss, serving in the state He was characterized as generous, spirited, convivial, and impulsive. The dominating issue of whether to allow the extension of slavery into the newly acquired western territories heartened to danger the Senate when Congress convened in December 1849. Seward rose on the Senate floor to deliver a speech that he called Freedom in the New Territories. The new senator spent several intense weeks on the preparation of his statement, realizing that it could be taken as the Norths answer to Calhoun. Seward acknowledged that the Constitutions framer had recognized the being of slavery and protected it where it existed, but the new territory was governed by a higher law than the Constitution a moral law established by the creator or god. We will write a custom essay sample on William Seward, John Calhoun, and Daniel Webster or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The New York senator, was against all legislative compromise as radically wrong and essentially vicious, demanded that California be considered as a free state. He warned the South that slavery was doomed and that a rebellion from the Union would happen. The speech hastened the Whig partys division into propellers and antislavery perspectives and shrunk many of his natural allies. A decade later, in 1 860 and 1861, as southern states began to rebel, Seward became more passive in his attitude toward the South, seeking peaceful methods of resolving the inflict and avoiding war. A month after Henry Clays two-day speech on the Compromise of 1850, a mortally ill John C. Calhoun summoned the strength to write a reply, which his colleague James Mason read to the Senate on March 4. Calhoun asked the Senate to respect the Souths institutions and to protect its economic ways against northern efforts to limit slavery and promote industrial over agricultural interests. Calhoun had seen in his own State how the spread Of slavery into the back country improved morals by limiting the countryside of he wrong doing poor whites who had once terrorized the law abiding middle class.Calhoun believed that slavery instilled in the white who remained a code of honor that blunted the disruptive potential of private gain and fostered the civic-mindedness that lay near the core of the republican creed. From this standpoint, the expansion of slavery into the backcountry decreased the likelihood for social conflict and stopped the problems when money would become the only measure of self worth, like what happened in New England. Calhoun was convinced that slavery was the key to the success of American dreams. Webster viewed slavery as a matter of reality rather than moral principle. He argued that the issue of its existence in the territories had been settled long ago when Congress prohibited slavery in the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 and split regions into slave and free in the 1 820 Missouri Compromise. He believed that slaveries existence could not be eradicated but also that it could not take place in the newly agriculturally barren lands of the southwest.Attacking radical abolitionists to improve his credibility with southerners, Webster asked northerners to respect slavery in the South and to help in the return of fugitive slaves to their owners. He joined Clay in warning that the union could never be solved peacefully. The Compromise of 1 850 was a series of five bills that were intended to keep off sectional strife. Its goal was to deal with the spread of slavery to territories in order to keep northern and southern interests individual. Throughout this battle, these three men had strong point of view that were expressed in their speeches.The bill did come to pass and slavery was abolished. Had the Compromise of 1 850 not passed, the nation would have erupted in civil war, and the likelihood of a Northern victory would have been much less. It is probable that would not have a united States of America today if it wasnt for the efforts of Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun, and Daniel Webster crafting and passing the Compromise Of 1850. As for William Seward, he made great points In his speech, but the United States as we know it, would not exist, had his words taken effect.

Research Supported Arugment Essay - How to Write Good Research Supported Arugment Essay

Research Supported Arugment Essay - How to Write Good Research Supported Arugment EssayWhile there are many different types of tests that you can take to see if you have what it takes to be a doctor, sample research supported argument essay is not one of them. While some individuals prefer to be able to focus solely on research, I know that most individuals would much rather be able to read and write. Many individuals want to be able to write a thesis or theses without having to make much of an effort or by doing something out of the ordinary. If you have been feeling a bit lost with all of your possible options when it comes to taking a test, there are a few things that you can do that will help you out a great deal.While you may not have taken any kind of argument essay before, you should make sure that you choose one that is going to help you a great deal in getting your doctorate degree. You need to know that the professor or advisor is going to be very impressed with your writin g. It is important that you know that they are going to be impressed with your writing. The reason for this is because they will be very likely to like the way that you can get your point across in your research supported argument essay.In addition to this, you will need to find an argument essay that is going to be given out in different types of classes. As you go about choosing your essay, you should make sure that you know what is expected. Many professors and instructors have different requirements. While some have no requirements at all, other people expect their students to take a certain amount of time to do research supporting the topic of the class.Because of this, you will want to look at samples of support argument essay that are given out in the different classes that you want to take. You will also want to make sure that you are looking at the different levels of paper that is given out by the instructor. You may find that it is going to be difficult for you to write a n argument essay if it is not given out in the different types of classes that you take. Make sure that you are ready to have a great experience while taking this type of study.When you are looking for research supported argument essay, you will need to find one that is very well written. You are going to need to choose one that has lots of information in it. You will need to read through your essay and make sure that it is as informative as possible. When you do, you will be able to write a very strong research supported argument essay. You may find that you don't want to do this if you don't feel that you are capable of writing a well written research supported argument essay.You should find one that is offered in different types of courses. You will find that you have to make sure that you do as much research as possible to prepare for your argument essay. You should also make sure that you are going to be able to read and write at the same time. This is important because you wil l need to be able to work on your research supporting argument essay while doing as much reading as possible. This is so that you will be able to come up with ideas that will help you be able to write a well-researched argument essay.When you take a few minutes and give your brain a break, you will be able to think more clearly. When you are able to think clearer, you will be able to formulate better ideas and arguments. You will also be able to help yourself develop better strategies and plans for things that you will encounter when you are taking a doctorate course. By making sure that you are giving your brain a break, you will be able to do just that.