Largest Ever?

Every so often, the nerd in me has to post something historical... but this is truly amazing. Plus, I want to give Duke Energy a few props. The picture is a preliminary sketch of what they believe the new species may have looked like...

The skeleton of what is believed to be a new dinosaur species - a 105-foot plant-eater that is among the largest dinosaurs ever found - has been uncovered in Argentina. Scientists from Argentina and Brazil said the Patagonian dinosaur appears to represent a previously unknown species of Titanosaur because of the unique structure of its neck. They named it Futalognkosaurus dukei after the Mapuche Indian words for "giant" and "chief," and for Duke Energy Argentina, which helped fund the skeleton's excavation.

The article continues to compare the discoveries in North and South America... "North America's dinosaurs don't even compare", Mackovicky (scientist) added in a phone interview. "Dinosaurs do get big here, but nothing near the proportions we see in South America." The site where Futalognkosaurus was found has been a bonanza for paleontologists, yielding more than 1,000 specimens, including 240 fossil plants, 300 teeth and the remains of several other dinosaurs."As far as I know, there is no other place in the world where there is such a large and diverse quantity of fossils in such small area. That is truly unique."

This whole theory, of course, plays into scientists previous theory that the "Ice Age" or climate change theory... parts of Argentina are very close the equator and was probably warmer or at least dryer, which were optimal temperatures for their growth. As a point of comparison, scientists (or just wikipedia) believes that the average mature T-Rex was only 42 feet - this new species is over twice the size.

http://news.aol.com/story/ar/_a/truly-gigantic-dinosaur-skeleton-found/20071015150109990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001

Washington Monument - Charlotte and DC ?

So we went to Charlotte and Lorraine set up a private tour of the city. One stop was the

The Mecklenburg Monument which is smaller version of the Washington Monument. We were curious which was erected first. so here are the facts:

The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence is a resolution allegedly proclaimed at Charlotte, North Carolina, by the Committee of citizens of Mecklenburg County on May 20, 1775. Proclamations and resolutions, such as the Fincastle Resolutions in the Colony of Virginia, by local groups throughout the American Colonies during 1774 and 1775 were common. No original text exists and no contemporary mention of it was made in North Carolina or in other colonies. The 1819 copy was said to be created from memory. Historians have yet to confirm the original document's existence.
May 20 was the day after news arrived of the battle of Lexington. The seal and flag of North Carolina bear that date. The citizens of Mecklenburg did adopt, on May 31, 1775, strong anti-British resolutions, declaring suspension from office of all crown officials. The Monuement was erected in June 1898.

The Washington Monument is a large, white-colored obelisk at the west end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. It is a United States Presidential Memorial constructed for George Washington. The monument is among the world's tallest masonry structures, standing 555 feet (169.29 m) in height and made of marble, granite, and sandstone. It was designed by Robert Mills, a prominent American architect of the 1840s. The actual construction of the monument began in 1848 but was not completed until 1884, almost 30 years after the architect's death. This hiatus in construction was because of a lack of funds and the intervention of the American Civil War. A difference in shading of the marble, visible approximately 150 feet (45 m) up, clearly delineates the initial construction from its resumption in 1876.

Its cornerstone was laid on July 4, 1848; the capstone was set on December 6, 1884, and the completed monument was dedicated on February 21, 1885. It officially opened October 9, 1888. Upon completion, it became the world's tallest structure, a title it inherited from the Cologne Cathedral and held until 1889, when the Eiffel Tower was finished in Paris, France.
The Washington Monument reflection can be seen in the aptly named Reflecting Pool, a rectangular pool extending to the west, towards the Lincoln Memorial.

Walrus Fossil = $9,600

Not to be weird- but wouldn't you think fossils and/or prehistoric artifacts would cost a lot more? You can get a WHOLE dinosaur skeleton for the small price of $90,000. I don't know, just thought it would be more. Anyways...

Believe it or not, a 12,000-year-old, 4 1/2-foot fossilized walrus penis was purchased at auction Sunday by Ripley Entertainment Inc., an auction official said.

The company, which owns 63 Ripley's Believe It or Not museums in 11 countries, including one on Hollywood Boulevard, bought the walrus member for $9,600, including fees, said Josh Chait of I.M. Chait Auctions & Gallery.

It was discovered in the frozen tundra of Siberia and dates back 12,000 years to the Pleistocene Period. The mammal's manhood is mummified, with a layer of perfectly preserved skin intact, according to Chait. (BARF!)

A 22-foot mounted skeleton of an aquatic dinosaur called a Mososaurus, from the Cretaceous period of Morocco and more than 65 million years ago, fetched the highest bid of $90,000, from a private collector, Chait said.

http://www.knbc.com/news/13979613/detail.html?dl=headlineclick

6000 Year Old Chewing Gum... FOUND!!

I can't believe people can find these things. Wouldn't it have decomposed by now? And what would make ANYONE think that it's an artifact? I suppose that is why I'm not an archeologist.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20365582/