&w=3840&q=100)
History Today: How archaeologists found the world's largest dinosaur fossil
One of the biggest dinosaur fossils, the complete remains of a Tyrannosaurus rex, was found in South Dakota on August 12, 1990. Found in the Hell Creek Formation of South Dakota's Cheyenne River Indian Reservation, this specimen is recognised as the largest and most intact T. rex skeleton ever unearthed.
If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers' ongoing series, History Today, will be your one-stop destination to explore key events.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
IBM's personal computer 515 officially went on sale in retail stores on this day in 1981.
Here is all that happened on this day.
The largest dinosaur fossil was found
On this day in 1990, amateur fossil hunter Sue Hendrickson made one of the most significant paleontological discoveries ever recorded - the remarkably complete remains of a Tyrannosaurus rex which was later nicknamed 'Sue.' Found in the Hell Creek Formation of South Dakota's Cheyenne River Indian Reservation, this specimen is recognised as the largest and most intact T. rex skeleton ever unearthed, with approximately 90 percent of the bones recovered.
A Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton, one of the Dino Quest exhibits at the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana, California. Wikimedia Commons
Over the next 17 days, Hendrickson's team, led by palaeontologist Peter Larson of the Black Hills Institute, carefully excavated more than 250 bones, revealing a specimen over 40 feet long and around 13 feet tall at the hips. Notably well preserved, Sue's skull alone weighed over 600 pounds, presenting outstanding anatomical detail that would transform scientific understanding of the species.
More from Explainers
New Income Tax bill clears in Lok Sabha: What are the big changes?
Scientific analysis of Sue's remains revealed intriguing signs of trauma and disease. The skeleton bore healed rib fractures and jaw infections, indicating the dinosaur survived violent encounters before succumbing, potentially aggravated by illness. Another notable find was Sue's wishbone (furcula), a feature that provides crucial evidence linking birds to theropod dinosaurs.
Sue's discovery triggered a complex legal battle involving land ownership and tribal claims. In 1997, the fossil was ultimately sold at auction to the Field Museum in Chicago for over $8 million, where it became a major public attraction and continues to be a central subject of ongoing scientific research.
IBM personal computer was launched
The computing world was forever changed when IBM officially announced the launch of its first Personal Computer (PC), the Model 5150. The launch represented IBM's entry into the consumer and small-business computer market, an arena then dominated by companies like Apple, Commodore, and Tandy.
IBM's personal computer model 5150 launched on August 12, 1990. Wikimedia Commons
Prior to the IBM PC, personal computers were often seen as toys for hobbyists, with machines like the Apple II and Commodore PET dominating the small, but growing, market. IBM, a company long synonymous with corporate mainframes, was a late but formidable entrant. The company's decision to use an open architecture, relying on off-the-shelf components like an Intel processor and Microsoft's MS-DOS operating system, was a radical departure from its traditional closed systems. This choice proved to be a masterstroke.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
The announcement was a watershed moment because it bestowed a new level of legitimacy on the personal computer. IBM's reputation and marketing power signalled that computers were no longer just for enthusiasts but were now serious tools for business and the home.
The availability of the computer in major retailers like Sears and ComputerLand, starting in September 1981, ensured it quickly reached a wide audience.
This Day, This Year
In 1961, East Germany began construction of the Berlin Wall.
Isaac Merrit Singer patented his sewing machine and formed I.M. Singer & Company to market the product on this day in 1851.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
3 days ago
- NDTV
Physicist Discovers Preserved Blood Vessels In World's Largest T. Rex
Regina: Despite the fact that much of the current research in paleontology focuses on trying to find traces of organic remains in fossils, dinosaur DNA has unfortunately never been recovered. A lot of what we know about dinosaurs comes from preserved bones and teeth that are dug out of the ground. These hard tissues alone, however, are limited in the information they provide. Soft tissues are extremely rare in the fossil record, but can help provide a much more life-like reconstruction of ancient life. This includes things like muscles and ligaments, pigments or even skin (like scales or feathers), which contain detailed information on how dinosaurs lived and what they looked like. Another interesting soft tissue that can be found in bones are blood vessels. My research team and I discovered blood vessels preserved in a Tyrannosaurus rex fossil, and our findings were recently published in Scientific Reports. As an undergraduate physics student at the University of Regina, I joined a research team using particle accelerators to study fossils. There, I first discovered blood vessels in a bone from a T. rex using advanced 3D models. It's been nearly six years since that moment; I am now working on my PhD where I use my background in physics to advance analysis techniques in fossil research. An extraordinary specimen The vessels were found in a remarkable T. rex specimen nicknamed Scotty. Held in the Royal Saskatchewan Museum's collection in Canada, Scotty is the largest T. rex ever unearthed. The fossil also remains one of the most complete specimens of T. rex. Scotty appeared to have had a rough life 66 million years ago; many of the recovered bones appeared to have injuries, possibly due to a fight with another dinosaur, or disease. One bone in particular, a section of rib, features a large partially healed fracture. In general, after bones experience a traumatic event like a fracture, there is a huge increase in the activity of blood vessels in the affected area as part of the healing process. We believe this is what was found in Scotty's rib: an extensive network of mineralized vessels that we were able to examine using reconstructed 3D models. Revolutionizing paleontology research When analyzing fossil bones, there are two main challenges. The first is how to examine the interior of the bones without damaging the fossil. And second, the bones are very large and can be quite dense due to the fossilization process, where minerals replace and fill in original organic materials. At first, we thought we could perform an computed topography (CT) scan of the bone, similar to what is used for medical purposes, which allows imaging of bones without damaging them. While this solves the first problem, the second problem means that a conventional medical CT machine is not nearly powerful enough to penetrate the dense bone. For our examination, we used synchrotron light, special high-intensity x-rays. These are produced at select particle accelerator labs, and allow us to investigate microstructures such as blood vessels in the bone with ease. Synchrotron x-rays can also be useful for chemical analysis. We found the vessels were preserved as iron-rich mineralized casts, a common form of fossilization, but in two distinct layers. This layering is due to the complicated environmental history that led to the exceptional preservation seen in Scotty's rib. Written in blood vessels By analyzing blood vessels produced by an incompletely healed fracture, we can hopefully learn how T. rex healed, helping speculation on how Scotty was able to survive after sustaining injuries. This could lead to evolutionary information comparing the vessel structures seen in Scotty to other dinosaur species, as well as modern relatives to dinosaurs like birds. The results may also help future fossil exploration by guiding scientists to target bones that show signs of injury or disease, potentially increasing the chances of discovering more vessels or other types of preserved soft tissues. With cross-disciplinary research and novel applications of advanced technologies, there is so much potential to recreate the past lives of dinosaurs like never before. (Author: , Physics PhD Candidate, University of Regina) (Disclaimer Statement: Jerit Leo Mitchell receives funding from Mitacs Accelerate and the Sylvia Fedoruk Centre for Nuclear Innovation.) This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
First Post
3 days ago
- First Post
History Today: How archaeologists found the world's largest dinosaur fossil
The complete remains of a Tyrannosaurus rex, one of the biggest dinosaurs, were found in South Dakota on August 12, 1990. In the course of the next few days, palaeontologists carefully excavated more than 250 bones, which revealed a specimen over 40 feet long and around 13 feet tall at the hips read more One of the biggest dinosaur fossils, the complete remains of a Tyrannosaurus rex, was found in South Dakota on August 12, 1990. Found in the Hell Creek Formation of South Dakota's Cheyenne River Indian Reservation, this specimen is recognised as the largest and most intact T. rex skeleton ever unearthed. If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers' ongoing series, History Today, will be your one-stop destination to explore key events. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD IBM's personal computer 515 officially went on sale in retail stores on this day in 1981. Here is all that happened on this day. The largest dinosaur fossil was found On this day in 1990, amateur fossil hunter Sue Hendrickson made one of the most significant paleontological discoveries ever recorded - the remarkably complete remains of a Tyrannosaurus rex which was later nicknamed 'Sue.' Found in the Hell Creek Formation of South Dakota's Cheyenne River Indian Reservation, this specimen is recognised as the largest and most intact T. rex skeleton ever unearthed, with approximately 90 percent of the bones recovered. A Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton, one of the Dino Quest exhibits at the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana, California. Wikimedia Commons Over the next 17 days, Hendrickson's team, led by palaeontologist Peter Larson of the Black Hills Institute, carefully excavated more than 250 bones, revealing a specimen over 40 feet long and around 13 feet tall at the hips. Notably well preserved, Sue's skull alone weighed over 600 pounds, presenting outstanding anatomical detail that would transform scientific understanding of the species. More from Explainers New Income Tax bill clears in Lok Sabha: What are the big changes? Scientific analysis of Sue's remains revealed intriguing signs of trauma and disease. The skeleton bore healed rib fractures and jaw infections, indicating the dinosaur survived violent encounters before succumbing, potentially aggravated by illness. Another notable find was Sue's wishbone (furcula), a feature that provides crucial evidence linking birds to theropod dinosaurs. Sue's discovery triggered a complex legal battle involving land ownership and tribal claims. In 1997, the fossil was ultimately sold at auction to the Field Museum in Chicago for over $8 million, where it became a major public attraction and continues to be a central subject of ongoing scientific research. IBM personal computer was launched The computing world was forever changed when IBM officially announced the launch of its first Personal Computer (PC), the Model 5150. The launch represented IBM's entry into the consumer and small-business computer market, an arena then dominated by companies like Apple, Commodore, and Tandy. IBM's personal computer model 5150 launched on August 12, 1990. Wikimedia Commons Prior to the IBM PC, personal computers were often seen as toys for hobbyists, with machines like the Apple II and Commodore PET dominating the small, but growing, market. IBM, a company long synonymous with corporate mainframes, was a late but formidable entrant. The company's decision to use an open architecture, relying on off-the-shelf components like an Intel processor and Microsoft's MS-DOS operating system, was a radical departure from its traditional closed systems. This choice proved to be a masterstroke. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The announcement was a watershed moment because it bestowed a new level of legitimacy on the personal computer. IBM's reputation and marketing power signalled that computers were no longer just for enthusiasts but were now serious tools for business and the home. The availability of the computer in major retailers like Sears and ComputerLand, starting in September 1981, ensured it quickly reached a wide audience. This Day, This Year In 1961, East Germany began construction of the Berlin Wall. Isaac Merrit Singer patented his sewing machine and formed I.M. Singer & Company to market the product on this day in 1851.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
5 days ago
- First Post
History Today: How a Russian cosmonaut became the first human to say 'I do' in space
Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko was the first person to get married while he was in space on August 10, 2003. The ceremony took place while he was orbiting Earth aboard the International Space Station (ISS) while his bride, Ekaterina Dmitrieva, stood on solid ground at Nasa's Johnson Space Centre in Texas read more Ekaterina Dmitriev with a life-size cut-out of her new husband, Yuri Malenchenko, after her satellite wedding. File image/Reuters History was created on August 10, 2003, when the Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko became the first person to get married while in space. The unique wedding ceremony took place while Malenchenko was orbiting Earth aboard the International Space Station (ISS), some 240 miles above New Zealand. If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers' ongoing series, History Today, will be your one-stop destination to explore key events. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD First person to get married while in space Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko became the first person to get married while in space on August 10, 2003. Orbiting Earth on the International Space Station (ISS), he exchanged vows via satellite with his bride, Ekaterina Dmitrieva. She stood on solid ground at Nasa's Johnson Space Centre in Texas. The wedding was a blend of tradition and cosmic novelty. Dmitrieva wore a classic white wedding gown, processed down the aisle to David Bowie's 'Absolute Beginners,' and posed beside a life-size cardboard cutout of her groom. Up in orbit, Malenchenko donned a bow tie atop his flight suit, and astronaut Ed Lu, acting as best man, played the wedding march on a small keyboard aboard the ISS. Ekaterina Dmitriev Malenchenko poses with a cardboard cutout of her new husband, cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko, after their wedding ceremony in August 2003, while Malenchenko was still in space. File image/AP Texas law allowed the ceremony to proceed despite one party's physical absence, with a proxy standing in for Malenchenko during the legal process. The ceremony was emotionally resonant, which Dmitrieva later described as 'celestial, soulful,' while guests exchanged smiles and kisses through the video link. Yet the wedding wasn't without controversy. Russian authorities initially objected, citing rules that barred active officers from marrying foreign nationals while in space. They were ultimately overruled, but the event prompted Roscosmos to ban space marriages in future mission contracts. King Louis XVI was arrested On this day in 1792, King Louis XVI of France was officially arrested after a violent uprising in Paris, marking a crucial turning point in the French Revolution. The monarchy, already under intense scrutiny and losing popular support, faced its downfall when thousands of revolutionaries stormed the Tuileries Palace, where the royal family resided. Amid rising tensions, Parisians, outraged by the king's vetoes, the dismissal of pro-revolution ministers, and his perceived ties to foreign powers, took to the streets. Armed National Guards, Sans-culottes, and radical citizens attacked the palace, leading to a bloody confrontation with royalist Swiss Guards. The violence left nearly 1,000 people dead, including hundreds of defenders loyal to the king. Joseph Garat proclaims the arrest of death to the King Louis XVI. Wikimedia Commons Louis XVI and his family fled to the nearby National Assembly, seeking protection. But instead of sanctuary, they were effectively taken into custody. The Legislative Assembly suspended the king's powers and declared him a prisoner of the nation. He was transferred to the Temple prison, along with Queen Marie Antoinette and their children, under increasingly harsh conditions. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The events of August 10 shattered the illusion that a constitutional monarchy could survive the revolution. It set the stage for the abolition of the monarchy and the birth of the French Republic just weeks later. This Day, That Year On this day in 1914, France declared war on Austria-Hungary in World War I. The Louvre Museum opened in Paris in 1793.
