![]() ![]() Given this fact, replicas make fossils more accessible to both the public and scientists for outreach, display, and research purposes. Scientists make these fossil replicas because the original fossils are often rare, valuable, fragile, difficult to transport, and/or scientifically valuable. Many of the fossils on display in museums worldwide are real, but many are compiled from replicas of original fossils. How do these two skeletons compare? Zissoudisctrucker, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Advertisements Are Dinosaur Bones in Museums Real? Take a look at the sample on display at the Field Museum in Chicago shown below. As more fossils of this species have since been recovered, scientists have been able to come up with much more complete reconstructions of this animal. When this fossil was discovered, its discoverers likely could only guess what the rest of the animal looked like. Notice that it lacks two legs and most of its tail. The above image shows the first discovered skeleton, known as the holotype, of P. missbossy from Singapore, Singapore, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia CommonsĬonsider Parasaurolophus walkeri. We have an in-depth article that explains why paleontology is so important. This gradual advancement of paleontology relies on procuring new quality specimens. Indeed, this process of figuring the skeleton out occurs with every dinosaur species discovered, because so many skeletons are missing bones. If the fossils in question are one-of-a-kind or too large, heavy, or fragile to transport, they are less likely to become mounted. resemble what the animal actually looked like in life. When these situations occur, scientists must either choose to leave any gaps in the skeleton blank, or they may instead make their best estimate as to what the missing parts looked like and try to reconstruct them.Īs their understanding of the species continues to improve, their models will grow better and better until they, hopefully. Or perhaps multiple specimens have been found that are all missing the same bones. ![]() In some instances, a skeleton may be found that is so rare that no other skeletons of that species have yet been discovered. Be sure to check out her recent makeover too. If you want to learn more about Sue, you can read about this dinosaur on the Field Museum’s blog. Just like Stan, her skull was too heavy to mount up in the air, so it’s located in a display case nearby. Her skull isn’t highlighted that means that it, too, is a replica. Note that I could not confirm whether any of the bones from the other animals were real. rex skeletons remain dark and unhighlighted. The above image highlights Sue’s real bones in bright green, while replicas of bones from other T. Evolutionnumber9, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Finding a 100% complete dinosaur skeleton is extremely rare. Indeed, almost all dinosaurs on display in museums are composites. Scientists call skeletons such as Sue composites because they include material from multiple skeletons. That means that approximately 130 bones had to be added to her skeleton to account for all the gaps! See the image, below. ![]() rex yet discovered, only 90% of her skeleton by volume and 250 of her approximately 380 total bones were discovered. rex on display at the Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois: although she is the most complete T. Dinosaur skeletons usually have these additions because dinosaur skeletons are rarely ever found complete.Ĭonsider Sue, a T. The original uploader was Billlion at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsĮven when a dinosaur skeleton is real, however, it often has replicas and/or real bones from other skeletons of the same species added to it. ![]()
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