Scientists have found a fossil that contains preserved soft tissues from a T-Rex. Amazingly enough the material is still spongy and may contain intact cells. It would be very interesting to see if they’ll be able to extract DNA from those cells or if the preservation process destroyed any information. Interestingly enough, the structure of the tissue is very similar to the structure of ostrich tissue, making the hypothesis that birds evolved from dinosaurs more likely.
No word on when the first Texas T-Rex Barbeque will open…
> Interestingly enough, the structure of the tissue is very similar to the structure of ostrich tissue, making the hypothesis that birds evolved from dinosaurs more likely.
There’s really been no scientific challenge to this view for a while now, which is why modern cladistics doesn’t separate dinosaurs from birds (and doesn’t, in fact, recognize “reptile” as anything but a colloquial classification.)
There’s really little doubt that birds are the modern decendants of some dinosaurs.
Intact DNA? I’d be shocked. Theoretically, it’s impossible for it to remain intact so long after death.
But then, I’m shocked that this soft tissue exists at all too. That’s also theoretically impossible, so who knows?
> But then, I’m shocked that this soft tissue exists at all too. That’s also theoretically impossible, so who knows?
I think it’s pretty clear we’re looking at a singularly unusual fossilization process.
I think it’s pretty clear we’re looking at a singularly unusual fossilization process.
No doubt. If indeed it is what it looks like, I’m dying to hear the explanation for how it was possible for soft tissue to be preserved for so many millions of years.
If duplicatable, it could lead to some really interesting developments.
If indeed it is what it looks like, I’m dying to hear the explanation for how it was possible for soft tissue to be preserved for so many millions of years.
Well we should clear up a misconception; it’s not like they broke open a bone and bloody marrow dripped out. What we’re talking about are a few blood vessels that were able to escape bacteria and damage from burial because of the rapid mineralization of the surrounding bone; in a sense they were sealed in a mineral sarcophagus.
DNA doesn’t last this long, it’s not chemically stable enough, and cells are programmed to self-destruct at death, so we’re not likely to get genetic material from any blood cells. Essentially all we have here are the tissues made out of very chemically stable proteins, like blood vessel walls and etc. It’s turning out to be the case, now that we know to look, that this sort of preservation is fairly common. Perhaps we can uncover information about the organism’s genetics via the proteins, but Jurrasic Park and dino steaks at Walmart are still pipe dreams.