"Scientists Say It’s Time to Reinstate the Brontosaurus" Topic

"Remember Pluto? Tiny lonely rock orbiting the sun at the edge of the solar system? And then, in 2006, researchers summarily defrocked the little world of its status as a planet. Poof! Gone.

This kind of thing has happened before. Many decades ago, paleontologists similarly decided that there wasn't enough evidence to support the existence of the beloved Brontosaurus. Instead, they said that the noble thunder lizard was just an Apatosaurus. Poof.

But mourn the Brontosaurus no longer! A team of heroes may have rescued it from paleontological purgatory. By cross-referencing the digitized bones from hundreds of long-necked cousins, a team of European scientists now says that they've identified enough unique anatomical details to reinstate the Brontosaurus at the head of its own genus. That's not all. "The real importance of this paper is this is the first time that this group of sauropods have been analyzed in a big fashion," says Mark Norell, the top paleontologist at the American Museum of Natural History in New York…"
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Amicalement
Armand

So, does this mean I'll finally be able to get a Bronto burger like Fred could, from the local drive-in?

Man, those ribs are gonna be filling, and expensive.

Hurrah! A triumph for the '50s.

Bring back Pluto as a planet first!

Pluto has to fight for itself, the brontosaurus is much more important!

(smile)

Amicalement
Armand

The problem with Brontosaurus was NOT lack of definition, but prior usage of the name (and secondarily a side effect the Marsh-Cope feud). However, the first use of Brontosaurus has been proved erroneous, and "younger" paleontologists (those who grew up with Brontosaurus) have been pushing for allowing Apatasaurus to revert to the earlier name for some time. As older paleontologists die off, they are coming closer to success.

Bully!