Palaeontology

Palaeontologists to dissect a dinosaur on TV

By T.K. Randall
May 18, 2015

Image: Tyrannosaurus Rex Holotype
Credit: ScottRobertAnselmo / CC BY-SA 3.0 (adapted) There's only so much you can learn about a dinosaur by looking at its bones, so to help discover more about these prehistoric reptiles a new National Geographic documentary will be following the efforts of a team of palaeontologists as they put together a full scale replica of a Tyrannosaurus rex and then conduct an autopsy on it.

The team includes scientist Steve Brusatte along with several veterinary surgeons, biologists and other experts who will painstakingly recreate the creature in exquisite detail."I jumped at the chance because, over time, films have made dinosaurs become more fantasy and less realistic," Brusatte said in a statement. "I wanted to build a model of the T. rex that was completely accurate and in line with current science."

Once the replica is complete the documentary will show the team dissecting it in the same way as they would if it were a real animal. While Brusatte didn't want to give away too much in advance he did hint at the likelihood of a few surprises inside the body of the carnivorous behemoth.

The film is due to air on the National Geographic Channel on June 7th.

Source: Softpedia.com

Tags: Tyrannosaurus, Dinosaur