Latest news with #RoyalTyrrellMuseum
CBC
19-05-2025
- Science
- CBC
Royal Tyrrell marks 40th anniversary with groundbreaking dinosaur discoveries
A new exhibit is putting a few of the Royal Tyrrell Museum's most game-changing specimens in the spotlight. Breakthroughs, a collection of five ancient fossils, showcases everything from feathers on theropods to the feeding habits of tyrannosaurs, with these specimens representing only a small portion of the iconic Drumheller museum's collection. The exhibit serves to illustrate "the literal breakthroughs in scientific discovery that we've made at this institution," said Lisa Making, the museum's executive director. "We really want to highlight what makes Alberta such a unique place for paleontology in the world, but also what the Royal Tyrrell Museum has done over the last 40 years in elevating the science of paleontology around the world," she said. Five groundbreaking fossils Picking only five of the museum's many specimens, the majority of which aren't even on display, was a challenging task, said Craig Scott, director of preservation and research at the Royal Tyrrell Museum. Ultimately, the team narrowed the focus of Breakthroughs on fossils from the Cretaceous period, spanning from approximately 143 million years ago to the extinction of the dinosaurs around 66 million years ago. "This highlights a very specific period of time, which happens to be the best represented period of time in the province," said Scott, who holds a doctorate from the University of Alberta. "We're lucky to have such great representation from this time, and so these specimens represent the very best of that time." The exhibit's only non-dinosaur specimen is a mosasaur, a large marine carnivore that may be familiar to fans of the Jurassic World film series. The exhibit showcases a young Mosasaurus missouriensis so well-preserved that even its cartilage, typically too soft to be fossilized, and its last meal, large fish bones, were left behind after the animal's death around 75 million years ago. "The specimen is exquisite, the preservation unbelievable," said Scott. A fossilized Ornithomimus, an ostrich-like theropod, is another eye-catching element of the exhibit. The fossil, found in Dinosaur Provincial Park in 1995, was so well-preserved that technicians were able to find evidence of feathers on the animal's arms. "It represents the first North American dinosaur to show evidence of feathers," said Scott. Proving that bipedal dinosaurs like Ornithomimus had feathers helped further bridge the gap between birds and dinosaurs. "These animals likely have feathers on their forelimbs," said Scott. "Those were obviously not being used for flight, these are far too big. They were probably used for signaling mates like you see in modern birds." Scott considers Borealopelta markmitchelli, an armoured herbivore that lived 110 million years ago, the crown jewel of the exhibit. WATCH | Albertan ankylosaur is the world's most well-preserved armoured dinosaur: Meet one of the world's best-preserved dinosaurs | Dinosaur Cold Case 5 years ago Duration 0:58 Upon being unearthed in 2011, the Fort McMurray fossil made waves worldwide — and is still being studied — for the remarkable circumstances under which it was preserved. "The conditions at the time of death had to be perfect," said Scott. The dinosaur, which most likely washed out to sea after its death and was quickly buried on the sea floor, was so well-preserved that vegetation and even charcoal were found in its stomach. "Most importantly, it had to be covered up very, very quickly with sediment, before it could be scavenged and its remains disarticulated," said Scott, emphasizing the one-of-a-kind nature of this particular fossil. Rounding out the exhibit is a nesting site uncovered in 1987 that contains the eggs of a herbivorous dinosaur called Hypacrosaurus stebingeri — eggs in which embryos were found preserved — and the remains of a young Gorgosaurus libratus, which upon its discovery in 2009 was the first tyrannosaur to be found with prey still preserved in its digestive system. Museum continuing to make an impact As the only museum in Canada to focus solely on the study of ancient life, the Royal Tyrrell has been considered a must-visit destination by dinosaur enthusiasts across the world since it opened in 1985. One such person, Roger Palmer, visited the museum as part of a trip from the United Kingdom. "We have an area there called the Jurassic Coast, which is famous for its fossils, but this completely outclasses anything that you can see there," said Palmer. He had flown to Canada to visit family in B.C., but found himself headed to southeastern Alberta to experience the unveiling of Breakthroughs at the Royal Tyrrell on Friday. "I didn't have the faintest idea that there was this incredible richness of history here, that the depth, the quality and the quantity of what you see here just takes your breath away," said Palmer. It's those kinds of responses that Making hopes to hear from visitors for a long time. "Forty years is a remarkable milestone, but as humans, we look at it as middle-aged," she said. She sees much room for growth for the Royal Tyrrell, particularly around improved infrastructure and expanding the organization's footprint. "When we were built, nobody anticipated we'd be welcoming half a million visitors from 150 countries," she said. "So we're at capacity with our collection, with our visitors. We want to grow and accommodate and continue to show off the remarkable resources that are here in the province." With approximately 2,500 specimens added to the museum's collection last year alone, the museum is monitoring its growth and looking at how to best continue providing its programming to visitors from around the world. Handling that growth remains a challenge for the museum's team, but to Making it's worth it. "The moment you come down into the galleries and you start watching people, you start interacting with people, you see kids and the look of wonder on their faces and the excitement," she said. "It just renews that passion and reinforces the joy of the work that we get to do here every day."
CBC
19-05-2025
- Science
- CBC
Royal Tyrrell marks 40th anniversary with groundbreaking dinosaur discoveries
New | Amir Said | CBC News | Posted: May 19, 2025 4:25 PM | Last Updated: Just now Alberta museum highlights contributions to paleontology with Breakthroughs exhibit Image | Breakthroughs Caption: This fossilized Gorgosaurus libratus, which upon its discovery in 2009 was the first tyrannosaur to be found with prey still preserved in its digestive system, is one of five specimens on display at the Royal Tyrrell Museum's Breakthroughs exhibit. (Radja Mahamba/Radio-Canada) A new exhibit is putting a few of the Royal Tyrrell Museum's most game-changing specimens in the spotlight. Breakthroughs, a collection of five ancient fossils, showcases everything from feathers on theropods to the feeding habits of tyrannosaurs, with these specimens representing only a small portion of the iconic Drumheller museum's collection. The exhibit serves to illustrate "the literal breakthroughs in scientific discovery that we've made at this institution," said Lisa Making, the museum's executive director. "We really want to highlight what makes Alberta such a unique place for paleontology in the world, but also what the Royal Tyrrell Museum has done over the last 40 years in elevating the science of paleontology around the world," she said. Five groundbreaking fossils Picking only five of the museum's many specimens, the majority of which aren't even on display, was a challenging task, said Craig Scott, director of preservation and research at the Royal Tyrrell Museum. Ultimately, the team narrowed the focus of Breakthroughs on fossils from the Cretaceous period, spanning from approximately 143 million years ago to the extinction of the dinosaurs around 66 million years ago. "This highlights a very specific period of time, which happens to be the best represented period of time in the province," said Scott, who holds a doctorate from the University of Alberta. "We're lucky to have such great representation from this time, and so these specimens represent the very best of that time." The exhibit's only non-dinosaur specimen is a mosasaur, a large marine carnivore that may be familiar to fans of the Jurassic World film series. Image | Breakthroughs Caption: Mosasaurus missouriensis could be found in the inland seas of what is now Alberta. Experts believe this marine reptile could grow up to nine metres in length, with the head alone possibly over a metre long — though this particular specimen is significantly smaller and is believed to have been a young animal. (Radja Mahamba/Radio-Canada) Open Image in New Tab The exhibit showcases a young Mosasaurus missouriensis so well-preserved that even its cartilage, typically too soft to be fossilized, and its last meal, large fish bones, were left behind after the animal's death around 75 million years ago. "The specimen is exquisite, the preservation unbelievable," said Scott. A fossilized Ornithomimus, an ostrich-like theropod, is another eye-catching element of the exhibit. The fossil, found in Dinosaur Provincial Park in 1995, was so well-preserved that technicians were able to find evidence of feathers on the animal's arms. Image | Breakthroughs Caption: Ornithomimus, a theropod that lived in Western Canada during the Cretaceous period. With its bird-like beak and what scientists believe to have been feathers, this dinosaur would be reminiscent of an ostrich today. (Radja Mahamba/Radio-Canada) Open Image in New Tab "It represents the first North American dinosaur to show evidence of feathers," said Scott. Proving that bipedal dinosaurs like Ornithomimus had feathers helped further bridge the gap between birds and dinosaurs. Why birds were the only dinosaurs that survived mass extinction "These animals likely have feathers on their forelimbs," said Scott. "Those were obviously not being used for flight, these are far too big. They were probably used for signaling mates like you see in modern birds." Scott considers Borealopelta markmitchelli, an armoured herbivore that lived 110 million years ago, the crown jewel of the exhibit. WATCH | Albertan ankylosaur is the world's most well-preserved armoured dinosaur: Media Video | The Nature of Things : Meet one of the world's best-preserved dinosaurs | Dinosaur Cold Case Caption: Borealopelta fossilized so perfectly that we can see every inch of its armour and skin in 3D, 110 million years after its death. Open Full Embed in New Tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages. Upon being unearthed in 2011, the Fort McMurray fossil made waves worldwide — and is still being studied — for the remarkable circumstances under which it was preserved. "The conditions at the time of death had to be perfect," said Scott. The dinosaur, which most likely washed out to sea after its death and was quickly buried on the sea floor, was so well-preserved that vegetation and even charcoal were found in its stomach. "Most importantly, it had to be covered up very, very quickly with sediment, before it could be scavenged and its remains disarticulated," said Scott, emphasizing the one-of-a-kind nature of this particular fossil. Rounding out the exhibit is a nesting site uncovered in 1987 that contains the eggs of a herbivorous dinosaur called Hypacrosaurus stebingeri — eggs in which embryos were found preserved — and the remains of a young Gorgosaurus libratus, which upon its discovery in 2009 was the first tyrannosaur to be found with prey still preserved in its digestive system. Museum continuing to make an impact As the only museum in Canada to focus solely on the study of ancient life, the Royal Tyrrell has been considered a must-visit destination by dinosaur enthusiasts across the world since it opened in 1985. One such person, Roger Palmer, visited the museum as part of a trip from the United Kingdom. "We have an area there called the Jurassic Coast, which is famous for its fossils, but this completely outclasses anything that you can see there," said Palmer. He had flown to Canada to visit family in B.C., but found himself headed to southeastern Alberta to experience the unveiling of Breakthroughs at the Royal Tyrrell on Friday. "I didn't have the faintest idea that there was this incredible richness of history here, that the depth, the quality and the quantity of what you see here just takes your breath away," said Palmer. It's those kinds of responses that Making hopes to hear from visitors for a long time. "40 years is a remarkable milestone, but as humans, we look at it as middle-aged," she said. She sees much room for growth for the Royal Tyrrell, particularly around improved infrastructure and expanding the organization's footprint. "When we were built, nobody anticipated we'd be welcoming half a million visitors from 150 countries," she said. "So we're at capacity with our collection, with our visitors. We want to grow and accommodate and continue to show off the remarkable resources that are here in the province." With approximately 2,500 specimens added to the museum's collection last year alone, the museum is monitoring its growth and looking at how to best continue providing its programming to visitors from around the world. Handling that growth remains a challenge for the museum's team, but to Making it's worth it. "The moment you come down into the galleries and you start watching people, you start interacting with people, you see kids and the look of wonder on their faces and the excitement," she said. "It just renews that passion and reinforces the joy of the work that we get to do here every day."
Calgary Herald
16-05-2025
- Science
- Calgary Herald
Ready to meet five rare dinosaur discoveries? Here are the photos from a new Tyrrell exhibit
New exhibits of rare Alberta dinosaur discoveries were unveiled Friday at the Royal Tyrrell Museum, in an exhibition called Breakthroughs. Article content Article content Visitors were treated to a gorgosaur with prey fossilized in its stomach and Canada's first preserved dinosaur eggs with embryos still inside. Article content The exhibit is important because it 'tells the stories of five extraordinary finds that changed our understanding of ancient animals, their evolution and their behaviours,' the museum says. 'These fossils supported groundbreaking research on dinosaur feeding, nesting and evolutionary relationships.' Article content Article content Article content Article content Visitors check out an incredibly detailed nodosaur fossil at the opening of Breakthroughs. The museum says it is the world's best preserved armoured dinosaur, adding: 'Borealopelta markmitchelli ate its final meal, which consisted of vegetation: mostly ferns, with some pieces of conifers, cycads, twigs, and stems. We know this today because these plants are preserved in the dinosaur's stomach, along with charcoal. It appears Borealopelta was eating in an environment that had recently burned. Shortly after Borealopelta died, its body washed out to sea. The carcass then flipped upside-down and sank. It was perfectly preserved on the sea floor by the fine sediments that covered it.' Article content
CBC
06-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
'Special to the world': Supporters petition to save Drumheller, Alta., dinosaur
A petition to save the world's largest dinosaur has more than 20,000 signatures Image | Alta-Drumheller-Dinosaur 20250328 Caption: Tyra the Tyrannosaurus, an iconic 25-metre-tall statue in Drumheller, Alta., is set to become history at the end of 2029. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press) A plan to send Tyra the Tyrannosaurus, the popular tourist attraction that towers over the skyline in Drumheller, Alta., into proverbial extinction has sparked demands that she be spared. The town of 8,400 northeast of Calgary bills itself as the Dinosaur Capital of the World. Home to the famed Royal Tyrrell Museum, the community also has statues of dinosaurs that look like they've crawled out of The Flintstones cartoon greeting people on the streets. There's an extinct reptile riding a motorcycle. A triceratops in a frilly dress sits on a bus bench. Another dinosaur wearing a fireman's hat and holding a hose is poised outside a fire station. The biggest is Tyra, standing across from the intersection of Gorgosaurus Street and Tyrannosaurus Drive near a visitor information centre. A nearby ice cream stand offers fossils, T-shirts and dino toys. The 25-metre-high figure, four times the size of a real T. Rex, attracts 150,000 visitors a year, serving as the backdrop to hundreds of thousands of tourist photos over the last quarter of a century. Tourists can climb 106 stairs through her innards to stand inside her mouth and look down. But she's set to become history at the end of 2029. Built in 2000, the giant dinosaur fit into the industry of the town, with its vast fossil finds and museum, which hosts over 130,000 fossils. While the town owns the land where she's located, the Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce owns the attraction. And the chamber said the dinosaur is set to be dismantled when the lease runs out. "We developed a new strategic plan last year, and part of it was to look at the dinosaur and the future of the dinosaur. So the board knew there was a limited lifespan of the dinosaur, and these decisions had to be made," said the chamber's executive director, Heather Bitz. She said the chamber has received public backlash. The reaction was expected, as there's an emotional attachment to Tyra, she said. But it's not a move the chamber intends to back away from. "I don't believe so at this time. We're firm on our decision," she said. Mayor Heather Colberg says the news came as a shock, and the town has demanded meetings with the chamber and Travel Drumheller. "We are the dinosaur capital of the world and the world's largest dinosaur has been very iconic in our community. We're going to look for some solutions," she said. "Where there's a will, there's a way, and the community's very passionate about their dinosaur. You can see from all the discussions going around — the community loves the dinosaurs, and so do many people who come and visit." She said because the chamber owns the dinosaur, there would need to be an agreement. Bitz said there have been extensive repairs to the dinosaur over the years, including the steel structure in 2023. But she doesn't think Tyra can be moved safely. "I don't think the answer is rip it down — that's an 'if we can't have it, nobody can' answer," said local businessman AJ Frey. "To me, it's like if … you said, 'We had fun with the Eiffel Tower, but we're tearing it down.' "This may not be designated as a world heritage site or a monument ... but it's special to the world, and I want to make sure it stays where it is." Frey started a petition to save Tyra, and it has more than 20,000 signatures. He said he would like to see her turned over to a non-profit and kept where she is. "The actual citizens can decide what they want to happen here and what they want to do with the pool of money if it's run properly." Julia Fielding, executive director of Travel Drumheller, says Tyra is an important part of the tourism section and hopes a solution can be found to save her. "Sometimes you need a little kick so we can decide really what we want to do as a community," said Fielding. "We've got five years to determine what happens. We are that dinosaur capital of the world and we want to keep that. Is Tyra the way and, if so, how do we save her?"
New York Times
30-01-2025
- Science
- New York Times
Eeny Meeny Miny Mo, Catch a Pterosaur by Its Neck
Around 76 million years ago, something took a bite out of a young pterosaur. Pterosaurs were large, flying reptiles that roamed our planet's skies when dinosaurs ruled the Earth. Some species were giants. But even their large size didn't keep them off the menu. Paleontologists have discovered a tooth mark in a neck vertebra of a pterosaur that died in what is now Alberta. In a paper published last week in The Journal of Paleontology, they suggest that the tooth mark was made by a prehistoric relative of the crocodile that either snatched the young pterosaur from the shore or scavenged its dead body. The fossil is now on display at the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller, Alberta. Pterosaurs came in all shapes and sizes and were found worldwide during their tenure on the planet, which lasted from 220 million to 65 million years ago. But they had fragile bones that were often destroyed before being preserved in the fossil record. Paleontologists mostly find neck and finger bones for this species, and that makes them 'quite mysterious,' said David Hone, a paleontologist at Queen Mary University of London who was not involved in the research. But scientists actually 'have a much better idea of what was eating pterosaurs than what they were eating,' said Caleb Brown, a paleontologist and curator at the Royal Tyrrell Museum who was among the authors of the new study. Paleontologists have so far discovered only around four pterosaur fossils that suggest that predators occasionally dined on these winged reptiles — including a neck bone with crocodile-like teeth marks found in Romania and a partly digested long bone in the belly of a velociraptor uncovered in Mongolia. This latest fossil — a two-inch neck vertebra — was found by students during a dig in 2023 in the Dinosaur Park Formation in the badlands of Alberta. The area is so rich in remains that 'you literally can't walk without stepping on dinosaur bones,' Dr. Brown said. He and his team at the museum identified the fossil as belonging to a young Cryodrakon boreas. Full-grown members of this species had wingspans of more than 30 feet. This youngling was still growing and had reached a wingspan of only around six feet when it died. While examining the fossil, Dr. Brown noticed what looked like a small bite mark. The team examined the puncture hole under a microscope and sent the bone for a CT scan. What they found was consistent with a puncture made by a tooth when the bone was still fresh. Identifying the biter was the next piece of the puzzle. There were many potential candidates. Even though Cretaceous Alberta was farther north than it is today, it was a lush, tropical area that bordered an inland sea. Wetlands near the open water were home to many large dinosaurs, crocodilians and mammalians. But dinosaurs seemed like unlikely culprits. Dinosaur species who lived in the area at the time had blade- or D-shaped teeth that didn't match the circular shape of the hole. Crocodilians, on the other hand, do make circular-shaped punctures. The hole is also the right size for two species of crocs that coexisted with giant pterosaurs. For Dr. Brown, that made a crocodilian predator or scavenger the 'most likely candidate' for the bite mark. Even with a likely suspect, no one knows what the young pterosaur's last moments were like. Did it die and become a 'free lunch' for a hungry crocodilian that happened upon its body, as Dr. Brown speculated? Or was it the victim of an ambush? Both explanations are possible. Like alligators and crocodiles today, their forebears in the Cretaceous period 'probably grabbed whatever the hell they're able to get their mouth around,' Dr. Hone said. 'It's what crocs do.'
