Microraptor Gui: The Dinosaur with Four Wings
Knowing that pterodactyls belong to a separate group of reptiles than dinosaurs, the thought of a dinosaur with wings may seem somewhat strange. But a fairly recent archeological find adds an extra detail to make this idea truly bizarre: a dinosaur with four wings. Microraptor gui, discovered by Xing Xu and colleagues, is believed to be a kind of missing link between strictly ground-dwelling dinosaurs and birds, namely Archaeopteryx, the earliest known creature to be considered a bird. While there can be no debate over the discovery itself, the implications made from its discovery haven’t been entirely accepted, with many arguing them altogether. Besides being an oddity, what makes this particular find so significant? What are these implications that have riled some scientists up, and what is it that these experts argue?
Before any sort of discussion on the debate of what M. gui implies, however, the details of this odd reptile’s discovered fossils should be given. Through past research and findings, the leading theory on the origin of birds traces them back to dinosaurs, more specifically a type of bipedal dinosaur called theropods. Within this group of mostly carnivorous dinosaurs are the dromaeosaurids, and they specifically are believed to be the closest dinosaur ancestors of birds.
The discovered fossils of the dramaeosaurid M. gui form of a nearly complete skeleton, and it’s been compared with a similar, previously discovered Microraptor skeleton. The place of M. gui’s discovery was Dapingfang, Chaoyang County in western Liaoning, China, also known as the Jiufotang Formation_. Xu and colleagues declare the fossils to be dated from the early Cretaceous period (about 124 - 128 million years ago_)_ through others’ radiometric dating and biostratagraphical correlations of that region_. Interestingly, the closest ancestors of many of the dinosaurs found within this area of China are believed to have lived not during the early Cretaceous, but the late Jurassic_. Paleogeographers have theorized that this area was thoroughly isolated during the very late Jurassic and into the early Cretaceous_. With paleontologists theorizing that Archaeopteryx came into existence 25 million years before the dated existence of these M. gui fossils_, M. gui is still believed to be a basal dromaeosaurid, meaning that it’s one of the earliest of this type of theropod, maintaining that these fossils are of an ancestor to Archaeopteryx and all birds.
Ceratopsians and Pachycephalosaurs are closely related in their characteristics. Ceratopsians processed a saddle-shaped boney frill that extended from the skull to the neck and typically had horns over the nose and eyes. The most popular was the triceratops, which could reach over 26 feet and weigh in excess of twelve metric tons. Their frills served as two major functions. It protected the vulnerable neck from being harmed. The second major function that the frill provided was due to the fact that the frill contained a network of blood vessels on its underside, which were used as a means to get rid of excess heat. The Pachycephalosaurs were considered to be bipedal. They were also found to have thick skulls, flattened bodies, and tail that were covered in an array of body rods. Pachycephalosaurs were thought to have been more than fifteen feet long and processed a skull that was surrounded by a rounded dome of solid bone. It was thought that they used their heads in combat or mating contests, but that was disproved fairly recently, which I will discuss later in the paper. Both Ceratopsians and Pachycephalosaurs were “bird-hipped” and both of these suborders contained a backwards pubic bone. Both were Marginocephilia, or “fringed heads”, which is one of three clads under the Orinthiscia order. They were also herbivore dinosaurs that inherited their fringe at the back of the skull from earlier ancestors.(2) Their classi...
The reading states that critics have opposes the idea that Sinosauropteryx was a feathered dinosaur and the author provides three reasons of support. However, the professor explains that critics are unconvincing and refutes each of the authors' reasons.
Paul, Gregory S. (2002). "Looking for the True Bird Ancestor". Dinosaurs of the Air: The Evolution and Loss of Flight in Dinosaurs and Birds. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 171–224. ISBN 0-8018-6763-0.
Jurassic Park is the story of how one man’s idea puts many lives in danger. With lots of experimentation, scientists who worked for him were able to extract blood from prehistoric mosquitoes and other biting insects caught in amber then examine it for foreign blood cells. After that, they would extract them. Doing that, they could obtain DNA of extinct animals; dinosaurs who have been extinct for millions of years. Through a long process, they could recreate dinosaurs. Jurassic Park is a book full of suspense and horrifying murders. I wouldn’t recommend this book to everyone, but just people who enjoy science fiction and suspense. I also recommend not read Dennis Nedry’s death multiple times because it’s gross and...just gross. But other than that, I would give this five dinosaurs out of five dinosaurs!
The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd is an amazing book that follows the lives of some very amazing women. Kidd shows what it meant to be a slave and what it meant to be a woman. This book mostly deals with slavery and how it affects people who are slaves, how they suffered but also how it affected people who were against slavery and trying to change the world. Kidd also covers sexism and what it means to be a woman with ambition, drive and wanting to be a woman who abolishes slavery. This book mainly follows the life of Sarah Grimke, a girl with drive, ambitions, and ideas; but who is also the daughter of a slave owning judge who lives in Charleston.
The debate of whether dinosaurs were cold blooded or warm blooded has been ongoing since the beginning of the century. At the turn of the century scientists believed that dinosaurs had long limbs and were fairly slim, supporting the idea of a cold blooded reptile. Recently, however, the bone structure, number or predators to prey, and limb position have suggested a warm blooded species. In addition, the recent discovery of a fossilized dinosaur heart has supported the idea that dinosaurs were a warm blooded species. In this essay, I am going to give supporting evidence of dinosaurs being both warm and cold blooded. I will provide background information on the dinosaur that was discovered and what information it provides scientists.
Since the dawn of man people have been challenged by evil. Whether it was Eve eating and than offering the apple to Adam, or the Caveman murdering his neighbor for personal benefit. Using Nathaniel Hawthorns novel The Scarlet Letter we can see how evil consumes someone’s day to day live even if it is filled with the morals brought fourth upon them by their god. Three of the four main characters in this book were sinners who were faced with evil and chose to suffer, combat, or bargain with it. With good intentions the townspeople also played a role letting evil exist with the intentions of stomping it out.
.... (2011). A New Arthropod Jugatacaris agilis n. gen. n. sp. from the Early Cambrian Chengjiang Biota, South China. Journal of Paleonotology, 85(3), 567-586. doi:10.1666/09-173.1
U.S. financial markets assume a vital part in helping the wellbeing and productivity of the economy, businesses, and individuals. There is a solid relationship between the soundness of the economy and budgetary business improvement and monetary development, resulting in the slightest change in financial markets greatly affecting the economy, businesses, and individuals. Financial markets influences the increase in capital, removes the risk of subsidiaries, and liquidity in currency markets. When the monetary markets are doing admirably, "firm-level, industry-level, and cross country considers all propose that the level of money related advancement applies an expansive, positive effect on financial development." (MIT, 2001)
With its abundance of genera, the Burgess Shale is one of the world’s most important fossil fields. It’s discovery in 1909 led to over 100 years of paleontological study in the Canadian Rockies, a majority of which has been carried out in two quarries known as the Walcott and Raymond quarries (Hagadorn, 2002). Though he was originally in search of trilobites in the Burgess Shale Formation, paleontologist Charles Walcott also discovered a diverse group of soft- and hard-bodied fossils, from algae and sponges to chordates and cirripeds (Hagadorn, 2002). Soft-bodied fossils are incredibly rare due to their delicate structure and susceptibility to decay, so it is hard-bodied fossils that more regularly occur in fossil findings. However over 75,000 soft-bodied specimens have been found in the Burgess Shale formation (Hagadorn, 2002). These specimens are preserved in layers of shale formed from deposits of fine mud. One of the most significant species discovered is the Pikaia gracilens. Believed to be an early chordate, the Pikaia gracilens existed very close to the beginning of the evolutionary path that ultimately lead to humans (McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia, 2006).
Lengnick-Hall M.L.; Lengnick-Hall, C.A.; Andrade, L.S.; Drake, B. 2009. “Strategic human resource management: The evolution of the field.” Human Resource Management Review, 19, pp. 64-85.
It seems that HRM is so crucial to the organization, for what it does has nearly covered all aspects of the business – from strategic planning to the training and development, but unfortunately, its importance has not been accepted by everyone. As proposed by Morton, C, Newall, A. & Sparkes, J. (2001) there are three different views of HR function within the...
Norell, Mark, Lowell Dingus, and Eugene S. Gaffney. "Why Did Nonavian Dinosaurs Become Extinct?" Discovering Dinosaurs: Evolution, Extinction, and the Lessons of Prehistory. Berkeley: U of California, 1995. N. pag. Print.
Velde,D.K (2008). The global financial crisis and developing countries. Available at: http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/download/2462.pdf (Accessed: 5th August 2010).
This paper will attempt to give a broad overview from the available literature within three areas. First, the paper will explore the historical relationships of HR and organizational strategy. Second, the paper will give an overview of current practices and trends. Lastly,...