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Chickens and T. rex are Relatives?
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by poolparty | April 25, 2008 at 09:53 am
1306 views | 3 Recommendations | 13 comments
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Scientists are fleshing out the proof that today's broiler-fryer is descended from the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex. And, not a surprise, they confirmed a close relationship between mastodons and elephants.
Fossil studies have long suggested modern birds were descended from T. rex, based in similarities in their skeletons.
Now, bits of protein obtained from connective tissues in a T. rex fossil shows a relationship to birds including chickens and ostriches, according to a report in Friday's edition of the journal Science.
"These results match predictions made from skeletal anatomy, providing the first molecular evidence for the evolutionary relationships of a non-avian dinosaur," Chris Organ, a postdoctoral researcher in biology at Harvard University said in a statement.
Co-author John M. Asara of Harvard reported last year that his team had been able to extract collagen from a T. rex and that it most closely resembled the collagen of chickens.
They weren't able to recover dinosaur DNA, the genetic instructions for life, but DNA codes for the proteins they did study.
While the researchers were able to obtain just a few proteins from T. rex, they have now been able to show the relationships with birds.
With more data, Organ said, they would probably be able to place T. rex on the evolutionary tree between alligators and chickens and ostriches.
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at 12:47 on April 25th, 2008
This photo is from the Stamford Museum and Nature Center, taken by Kerri Morrone of SixUntilMe.com in April 2008.
Kerri Morrone has contributed a photo to this story.
at 13:28 on April 25th, 2008
One T. rex samwich, please!
at 13:28 on April 25th, 2008
Left from us there was a rustling and cracking which came nearer and nearer - and suddenly the brushwood broke downwards and a roaring T. rex entered the clearance!
Fortunately this happened in a dinosaur exhibition at a public park in Basel (Switzerland)!
epargos has contributed a photo to this story.
at 15:14 on April 25th, 2008
This is Sue, the most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex fossil set in existance. Located at the Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois. Photo taken by Chase Chang. http://www.flickr.com/photos/chasechang
chasechang has contributed a photo to this story.
at 15:27 on April 25th, 2008
Truly impressive for a T-Rex named Sue! Thanks Chase~
at 15:55 on April 25th, 2008
This photo was taken at the Maryland Science Center. I take pictures of the monkey everywhere I visit. I was lucky to get permission to place the monkey in the T-Rex skull to get this great photo!
kbeveridge6778 has contributed a photo to this story.
at 16:37 on April 25th, 2008
Famous roadside attraction along Interstate 10, in Cabazon California, gained worldwide fame in the movie "Pee Wee's Big Adventure"
Scott Shiffman has contributed a photo to this story.
at 17:07 on April 25th, 2008
My photo was taken at the Fabbri statuary store outside of Half Moon Bay. Just had to stop and have a bit of fun as we drove past.
pup ajax has contributed a photo to this story.
at 00:30 on April 26th, 2008
My photo was taken in the Natural History Museum, in London. It was actually taken in the early 1990's so i've no idea if the t-rex is still there. If he is i imagine he may be looking a little tired by now!
at 05:29 on April 26th, 2008
Taken during the Dinosaurus Expo in Nice, France
PiroTek has contributed a photo to this story.
at 08:08 on April 26th, 2008
I took this photo at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC.
lsc427 has contributed a photo to this story.
at 18:33 on April 27th, 2008
I'm awed by this creature coz its got a voice larger than it's body.. The voice it makes match the proud look of it's face.. So just can resist to froze that look forever...
Perantau Sepi Lodge has contributed a photo to this story.
at 05:14 on April 28th, 2008
Stan (The title for my photo) is the name of the T.Rex skeleton in the Manchester Museum, Oxford Road, Manchester, well worth a visit to get an idea of the sheer size of the T. Rex
Black X List has contributed a photo to this story.