Apparently, the fossil record is telling us that the female Tyrannosaurus Rex was much larger than the male and during mating season he had to tread very carefully. It seems the female needed to consume larger amounts of calcium to produce strong eggs, which also contributed to the extra size of her formidable weaponry. The basic design program of this killer dinosaur paid little attention to the evolution of its tiny arms, but the wishbone structure in the chest suggests that a great evolutionary plan of some sort was slowly moving toward the creation of futuristic bird life.

The evolution of humanity had a seemingly merciless blueprint guiding it toward worship of a loving merciful ethical God. However, intuition to do that eventually did occur amidst a violent claw and tooth prevailing mentality. The present path toward a loving and caring evolutionary direction has atomic weaponry signposts signalling some obsession to share our destiny with the dinosaurs. In order to avoid extinction we can re-examine the original dinosaur blueprint instructions more carefully to understand how to scientifically upgrade our destiny accordingly. The ancient Platonic tradition of Greek philosophy’s Science for Ethical Ends supplied us with the mathematics to do this.

The Greek philosophers, Thales and Pythagoras, travelled to Egypt to study mathematical political ethics from the teachings of the Mystery Schools of Maat, the mythical Goddess for mercy, compassion and justice, who prevented the universe from reverting to chaos. The Egyptian Second Kingdom’s use of sacred geometrical mathematics to incorporate mercy, compassion and justice into political law had been studied by Greek philosophers during the 5th Century BC. The Platonic tradition of Greek philosophy knew that very ancient monsters had become extinct and established a mathematical science to guide ennobling government during the 3rd Century BC, so that human civilisation would not also become extinct.

The engineer Buckminster Fuller derived his synergistic world-view from that mathematics, in contradiction to the Einsteinian world-view, which demands the complete extinction of all life in the universe. Fuller’s book entitled Utopia or Oblivion, was based upon Plato’s spiritual (holographic) sacred geometrical mathematics.

During the 5th Century BC the philosopher of science, Anaxagoras postulated his theory of creation, realising that evolution on earth lacked ethical moral purpose. He considered that an intelligent Creator, used a whirling (gravitation) force to act upon primordial particles in space to make the worlds of our universe, causing them to spin to evolve mind. This God then left our region of the universe in order to create further universes elsewhere. The three universities that followed the Platonic tradition of Greek philosophy set about to fuse ethics into Anaxagoras’ scientific model of reality and used the Egyptian mathematics for mercy, compassion and justice to construct the Western atomistic Science for Ethical Ends. The Ho Kepos university referred to it as the Science of Universal Love, its teachers were called saviours, following the Egyptian mathematical ethic to prevent the universe from reverting to chaos which was based upon love and kindness within family life.

Pythagoras introduced harmonic properties of light into this evolution of ethical consciousness concept. During the 18th and 19th Centuries, several of the philosopher scientists discovering electromagnetic field energy forces, realised that the ancient Pythagorean Music of the Spheres, was describing the existence of universal electromagnetic forces acting to evolve compassionate emotion. By using nanotechnology in the 21st Century to examine the functioning of the molecule of emotion, discovered in 1972 by Dr Candace Pert, the evolution of the endocrine fluids associated with the working of that molecule, demonstrate that the Buckminster Fuller’s ethical mathematics is indeed the basis of an evolving Creative Physics programmed so that humans might choose not to become extinct. As Charles Darwin wrote in his Ascent of Man, the emotion of compassion within humanity is so pronounced that it must have some intrinsic evolutionary purpose.

When Her Majesty Tyrannosaurus Rexina governed the world, her death carried the means to investigate that greater mathematical purpose. The wish bone within that ferocious body was not the only clue telling us that evolutionary information existed from the remains of her existence. We can now measure another part of the great monsters of old, with great mathematical precision, in order to debate mathematically about a more ethical evolutionary purpose associated emanating from the savage existence of prehistoric reality. This mathematical reality links the living process to a far greater reality than the 20th Century Einsteinian world-view could possibly have imagined.

The fatty acids of a dinosaur, which died alongside certain minerals, turned into a substance, which when exposed to cosmic radiation began to form into crystals, such as Jasper. This complex procedure recorded the mineral growth of natural fractal patterns. The geometrical properties of geometrical fractals belong to both a non living and a living process. Modern science accepts that while fractal logic can extend to infinity, the Einsteinian world-view prohibits the living process to be linked to this infinite fractal logic as it considers that eventually all life must be destroyed. On the 18th of February, 2011, Cornell University Library announced a major discovery by two Chinese scientists, Liaofu Luo and Jun Lu. They had used mathematics to explain why the protein dance of life within DNA, called a subatomic jitterbug by Buckminster Fuller, contradicted the Einsteinian world-view universal heat death law. Fuller had correctly predicted that a second life-energy system existed, to entangle itself with Einstein’s genius description of a single universal energy system, governed only by chaos.

When the ancient Greeks fused ethics into Anaxagoras’ intuitive myth of creation, in which God had departed, leaving humans free will to discover its divine purpose they transformed its mathematical structure into a dynamical mathematical logic which extended to infinity, contrary to our present general perception of reality. This ethical act of consciousness can be considered to refer to aspects of the Copenhagen definition of quantum mechanics alluded to within Vedic mathematics. The ancient Egyptians fused such mathematics into a political structure, which the ancient Greeks used to create the science for ethical ends so that humanity could avoid extinction. In contrast to this mathematical act of evolving consciousness, we know that our present day understanding of mathematics can only accelerate global chaos. The three Nobel Prizes awarded for mathematical economic logic in 1994 helped to bring about the present global economic collapse. We have enough mathematical data at our disposal to construct the Fullerene Utopia.

An online compilation of the briefing papers for the U.S. Senate Environment and Pubic Works Commitee during 2000, is entitled Outside-the-Box Technologies, Their Critical Role Concerning Environmental Trends, and the Unnecessary Energy Crisis. Among the points raised is that a mathematics for new technologies, beyond the accelerating chaos of the Einsteinian world-view, must be used to develop new technologies to replace American dependence upon the fossil fuel economy. In 2000 an accurate prediction was made in that in eight years the collapse of the American economic system would begin to bring on a global economic disaster.

Under such conditions. the paper considered that other countries, under such economic stress, will attempt to develop or ally themselves with those who have weapons of mass destruction, in order to avoid the collapse of their various individual regimes. Under those conditions, once one is used, or a threat is perceived that they will be used, then existing defence policies will be put into effect, ensuring the end of civilisation. That is also Buckminster Fuller’s mathematically arrived at state entropic oblivion, derived from the Greek definition of evil as being the property of unformed matter within the atom.

In their online paper entitled Mathematics and Peace: Our Responsibilities, the authors Ubiratan D’Ambbrosio and Sao Paulo address the responsibilities of social peace, environmental peace and military peace, by linking mathematics to the functioning of human behaviour and a mathematical definition of relevant global ethics. The same theme is the basis of the book entitled The 21st Century Renaissance, being published by the Science-Art Research Centre of Australia in liaison with Florence University’s quantum biological New Measurement of Humanity Project. In 2010 the two Italian Director’s of this New Renaissance Project were awarded the Giorgio Napolitano Medal on behalf of the Republic of Italy for their quantum biological discoveries concerning the self organising functioning of universal energies as the basis of quantum biology.

Behaving like a Tyrannosaurus Rex in heat may excite young men learning how to implement computer games of mass destruction but it was not a manly thing of the past. Our educational system must quickly bridge the gap between modern science and the ethics of the Classical Greek Humanities. As the molecular biologist Sir C P Snow warned in his Rede Lecture at Cambridge University in 1959, if we maintain our obsession with the law of Chaos, which Einstein considered to be the premier law of all of the sciences, the civilisation will be destroyed.

© Professor Robert Pope,

Advisor to the President Oceania and Australasia of the Institute for Theoretical Physics and Advanced Mathematics (IFM) Einstein-Galilei

Preschool-aged children love lacing cards. Lacing cards allow children to practice “sewing” by threading a string in and out of holes in a piece of cardboard. This is a great activity to help develop your child’s fine motor skills.

Lacing cards can be found most anywhere preschool supplies are sold. The pictures on the cards can be anything from farm animals to construction equipment. They are enjoyed by both boys and girls.

If you want to be really creative, you can make your own lacing cards. All you need is a picture, a laminating machine ($20 at Walmart), scissors, a hole punch, and some yarn or a shoestring.

First select a picture. You can find many children’s pictures online. Just search for pictures or drawings of things that your child likes. If your child likes dinosaurs, then you could make a set of dinosaur lacing cards.

After you find a picture, print it out and use the laminator to laminate it. Next use the scissors to cut around the outline of the picture, leaving about an inch of space around the picture.

Using the hole punch, punch holes about an inch apart in the white space around the picture.

Tie a knot in one end of the yarn or shoestring. You may need to wrap the other end with scotch tape so that it will thread easily through the card.

That’s it! Your lacing card is ready for your preschooler to use. These are really easy and fun to make, and your child will really enjoy using them.

Keep in mind it may take your child awhile to get the hang of “sewing”. At around three years of age, your child may only be able to push the yarn through the holes but not understand the concept of threading it in and out of the holes. Just let them play with the cards and keep showing them how to do it. Eventually they will catch on and they will enjoy spending hours lacing different pictures and patterns.

Whether your child wants to be a future geologist, archeologist, chemist or scientist there are a wide variety of excellent science and discovery toys for them to have fun and learn with. There is an endless array of kits, toys, play sets and devices available to experiment and explore some of which include; animal kits, archaeology and geology toys, astronomy tools and play sets, bugs and insects, chemistry and physics sets, electronic and robotic kits, geography and globes, habitats, microscopes, telescopes and binoculars.

Most children are enchanted by anything to do with animals. There are plenty of fun and exciting habitats and play sets to keep your child entertained for hours. Frog habitats, horse and stable play sets, plastic dinosaur kits, a variety of sea monkey habitats from magic castles to mini aquariums, creature keeper (for catching beetles, butterflies and praying mantis etc.), farm animal play sets, plastic wildlife animals, hermit crab kits, reptile habitats, sea life plastic toy sets, plastic reptile sets, foam t-rex dinosaurs, foam lizards and foam great white sharks to name only a few.

The archaeology and geology sets and educational toys offer wonderful educational experiences for children, allowing them to have fun while enhancing their learning skills. Some of the great toys and ideas for play are; rock polishing kits, metal detectors, wooden dinosaur bone building kits available in different sizes (no glue or hardware needed), volcano making kits, outdoor adventure equipment kits (available with flashlight, compass, working camera, binoculars, digital watch and telescope) and 3D wooden dinosaur puzzles.

For a future aspiring astronomist anything to do with the planets, stars, galaxies and universe causes excitement. Some of the great astronomy items that can be found for children include; telescopes (if this is something your child is very interested in, be sure to find a quality telescope that will last and work properly), rockets (complete with sound effects and vibrations), 3D solar systems that glow in the dark, binoculars, space mission play sets, glow in the dark stars and planet sets, solar system mobiles and hand held star navigators (electronic devices used to locate and identify stars and their constellations).

Bugs and insects are interesting to children and adults alike, there are some excellent kits and observatories great for viewing and keeping critters. Something to note with most kits is the larvae or bugs will only be sent separately once the kit is purchased). Some of the exciting kits available are butterfly gardens (complete with supplies for feeding and observation chamber and informative booklet), ant farms, lady bug gardens, butterfly flowers seeds and net sets, silkworm sets, plastic bug play sets, creature viewer (magnifying scope) and special bug jars. The butterfly kit allows a child to see the complete metamorphosis from larvae to butterfly, both an exciting and wonderful learning experience.

Aspiring chemists and physicists will love the great snap circuit kits which allow your child to build an array of exciting projects from radios to light bulb testing set ups. Other great chemistry and physics kits available include; science kits (color mixing, making soft crystals, or rainbows in test tube), water wizardry kits (allowing children to make snow, gels and rainbows in test tube all with the addition of water), and wonderful chemistry sets complete with microscope, accessories, material and equipment allowing first time scientists to conduct simple and fun chemistry experiments.

The electronics and robotics choices for children come in several exciting devices and kits. Metal detectors are one device that offers children a sort of “treasure hunt” experience through use on a beach or the backyard where they will find all sorts of lost treasures and trinkets. There are great electronic kits which allow children to build everything from clock radios to robots and aliens that will respond to sound. Other fun and educational toys available are walkie-talkie kits, snap circuit kits and moving robot kits for building an endless array of moving vehicles and robots. These wonderful kits teach your child a variety of great skills while proving that learning really can be a lot of fun.

One of the most practical and great learning aids for geography is without question the globe. Globes today come in all sorts of different designs some with raised relief land formations and others with lovely prism designs. Popular electronic globes come with geographical facts, trivia, national anthems and world clock times. There are electronic interactive books available with talking maps giving names of states and capitals offering children excellent and fun learning opportunities. Puzzles are also another popular learning aid made in a variety of designs and sizes. Regardless of the globe you choose for your child it is sure to be of use for years to come.

Lastly there is a vast selection of children’s microscopes, telescopes and binoculars available for viewing bugs, stars and wildlife. Microscopes offer future scientists and biologists a view of the physical world through magnification. While telescopes give a glimpse of the wonderful night sky and binoculars bring wildlife up close. All these devices will change the way your child looks at the world. These toys are made in both plastic sets and higher quality metal sets. Which set you choose will depend on the age of your child and how often they will be using the device. An older child will probably prefer a better quality set that will withstand wear and tear and be more optically correct.

Science and discovery toys, sets and devices should inspire fascination and inquisitiveness in your child helping to encourage a love and desire for learning. All the wonderful toys in this category are sure to provide any child with hours of entertainment while providing an awareness of science and how it works. These toys are sure to open doors and teach skills on a variety of different levels. The endless array of choices can at times be a bit overwhelming, it’s always a good idea to do a bit of research before making your purchase. Reviews and recommendations on toys are a great way to get a bit of an idea on what to expect.

Located in the city of Hohhot, which is part of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of northern China, the Inner Mongolian Museum is unique among China’s museums. The museum is home to rare collections that represent Mongolians, Xiongnu, Qidan, and other northern tribes of China. The museum also famously contains regional dinosaur bones, a massive fossil collection as well as an entire floor devoted to the life of Genghis Khan.

The museum was built in 1957, which was the ten-year anniversary of the founding of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. As the capital of the region, Hohhot was the ideal city to house the regional collections of artifacts that convey the history of Mongolia and other regional tribes that made their home in north China. Many of the relics are of great cultural significance for these tribes. The museum owns more than 44,000 ethnically important objects that draw thousands of visitors annually from China and throughout the world.

Built in a style that is reflective of both traditional northern architecture and contemporary functionality, the museum is composed of two main floors. The first floor is divided into various sections denoting special exhibitions; these exhibitions are devoted to the imperial garments and ornaments worn by Mongolian kings and the upper classes, regional folk art and relics, ancient regional history and prehistory (dinosaur bones and fossils are contained here), and displays of contemporary achievements of Han Chinese in the region. The second floor contains displays that illustrate the life of Genghis Khan. The unique exhibition also pays tribute to other Khans such as Kublai Khan.

Travelers are particularly interested to see the extensive women’s costumes collection. The museum is also famous for the religious artifacts it unearthed after archaeological excavations were launched in the north. Objects relating to the horse cultures, like saddles and hunting implements are also of particular interest to visitors of the museum. Nevertheless, the fossilized remains of dinosaurs and other ancient creatures like wooly mammoths continue to draw crowds to the museum. In fact, the museum is home to one of the country’s largest dinosaur skeleton-a brontosaurus. Since Inner Mongolia is regarded as the “Land of Fossils,” it isn’t surprising that this museum is home to such a renowned collection of Mesozoic fossils.

As the Mongol Empire once reigned from the Eastern coast of China all the way to Turkey, many objects were left behind by this monumental empire and its culture. Having a museum devoted to their cultural importance is a great source of pride to the people of the region. Open daily from nine until five, the museum is an essential attraction of northern China-one that illuminates the history of Mongols and other northern tribes.

2011 Moira G Gallaga©

Parker, a former evolutionist, is uniquely qualified to present both sides of the issues of evolution vs. creation. With a doctorate in biology, he lectures for Creation Ministries International and Answers in Genesis.

Using the building metaphor, each chapter begins with a rubric cube type image. Toward the end a feature, “Form Your Foundation” guides the reader to establish foundational truths. Finally, a page of questions, “Building Inspection” summarizes the key points. Bonus Projects give students interesting assignments to further explore ideas presented in the book.

Three major areas for the three units:

1. War of World Views
2. Dinosaurs!
3. Human Origins

By beginning with the War of the World Views, Parker sets the stage and continues the contrasting views throughout the book.

Key to the debate presented by Parker lays an understanding of the scientific method and how it cannot apply to much the evolutionist claims. Since the scientific method requires that an observer must observe the event and that it must be repeatable for others to observe, the origin of man and our world does not fall within the realm of science to the degree assumed by many. Both evolutionists and creationists must have “faith” in their understanding of our origins. Our foundational beliefs do affect how we understand what we do observe in our lives today. Parker does make the case well that what we observe today does not invalidate the Creator’s account of the origin of mankind and our world.

Dr. Parker introduces the readers to key evolutionist individuals: Charles Darwin, Charles Lyell, Francis Crick, Thomas Henry Huxley, Ernst Haeckel, and Henry Fairfield Osbourne. He also mentions famous scientists who were Christians.

According to Fry’s Readability Scale, this book rates at an upper high school reading level. Younger students may also enjoy this book as the terms used have many syllables. Parker does a good job of explaining the complex concepts in terms that most of us can follow.

Have you ever wondered why the Bible doesn’t talk about dinosaurs if they lived alongside humans? Easy answer: The word “dinosaurs” was not used until the 1800s. The behemoth mentioned in Job 40:15-24 describes best what we know as dinosaurs because of the strong tail like cedar. The elephant or rhino sometimes are put forth as candidates but do not have tails like cedar.

Quotable quotes:

“Scientific evidence in God’s world supports the historical record in God’s Word, the Bible: God’s perfect creation, corrupted by man’s sin, destroyed in Noah’s flood, restored to new life in Jesus Christ – summarized in four Cs: Creation, Corruption, Catastrophe, and Christ.” P. 15

“The creation and evolution models involve elements of history and philosophy that lie beyond the reach of science, but both also make predictions about the kinds of evidence found in our world that can be tested by repeatable observation and the methods of empirical science.” P. 38 Parker provides a number of charts illustrating the dramatic contrasts of these two models.

Look for this book and Parker’s next book in the Laying A Creation Foundation series, Building Blocks in Life Science on http://www.answersingenesis.org Answers in Genesis has a host of valuable resources for families and teachers. Also visit, Christian Ministries International’s website: http://www.creation.com

Morphology is the study of the various forms of things in general. The subject of study for this exercise is the Hebrew word Raysheeth. We will analyze the Hebrew Scriptures word for word in order to locate each individual instance a word is cited and how it is used in the sentence. An analysis of the Lexicon of the various Biblical Translations for Raysheeth is necessary to truly ground this argument in Scripture. Up to and until the advent of computers this task would have taken years but is far from impossible. We can perform these tasks in seconds using Hebrew Bible Software like E-Sword™. A computerized search of the Hebrew text for Raysheeth instantaneously returns 28 verses. Raysheeth is translated as the Chief, first in order, first in rank, first fruits, etc.

The LORD possessed me in the beginning (Raysheeth) of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth. KJV – Proverbs 8:22-26

The Lord possessed this entity in Raysheeth, before the creation of the dinosaurs. “In the beginning,” is not Buh-Raysheeth as in Genesis 1:1, it is simply Raysheeth. The author of Proverbs indicates his Spirit was born before the Cataclysm of “Raysheeth.” This reference stands out from the rest and quite possibly makes inference to a prehistoric, pre-cataclysmic, First Organic Creation Period on planet Earth. When was “the beginning of his way” and what are these “works of old?” One of those works was the Dinosaurs. The Hebrew Traditional Bias renders this verse limited in its ability to convey certain key concepts that exist in the Hebrew. We translate it for a new Generation, removing the Bias and translating the text as written to the best of our ability given what we know about Raysheeth.

The Self-Existent created me before the pressing of Raysheeth. Before his exploits at that time, I was concealed, my head anointed, East of Earth. The Abyss had not agitated, no gushing of grievous water. Before the mountains had yet to be drowned over the surface of the hills, I was brought forth in the pain of labor.

Proverbs 8:22-25

The new translation of the Hebrew text allows us to see that Raysheeth refers to a moment in historical time. The word “beginning” evokes the concept of the point in time when time began. Here it is clear that there was a time before Raysheeth. Many will argue that this verse speaks to the deluge, but the Earth was completely covered by water after the destruction of the Dinosaurs. The concept of Dinosaurs does not exist in the Judeo Christian Tradition as handed down. This is one of the biggest stumbling blocks for Judeo-Christianity as the Biblical argument lacks the supporting scriptural evidence. For thousands of years they have not had to deal with this fact. Archeologists have to dig deep into the Earth’s crust to find Dinosaurs. The Truth Seeker needs only to remove one layer of language to discover what lies beneath the English in order to behold the Behemoth from The Book of Job.

Archaeopteryx – Fossilised Pigment Structures Suggest First Bird was Black

A team of international scientists studying a single fossilised feather ascribed to the Jurassic “missing link” Archaeopteryx have found prehistoric pigment structures. These structures, known as melanosomes suggest the colour of this Jurassic creature and also provide an insight into whether or not this bird from the time of the dinosaurs was a strong flier.

Using a powerful, scanning electron microscope located at the Carl Zeiss laboratory (Germany), the researchers were able to identify hundreds of tube-shaped structures towards the tip of the single, fossil feather they studied. The shape and density of the melanosomes gives an indication of the colour of the creature when it was flying around a Jurassic lagoon, approximately 150 million years ago.

Melanosomes Indicate Archaeopteryx had Black Feathers

Archaeopteryx was formally named and described in 1861. This crow-sized creature shows bird-like as well as reptilian characteristics. Fossils of Archaeopteryx (A. lithographica) show feathers, but also reveal teeth in the jaws and a long tail, anatomical features associated with dinosaurs. Just ten specimens of this creature have been found, all from the Solnhofen sediments located in southern Germany. The Solnhofen strata consist of deposits of finely layered, fine-grained limestone. These limestones were laid down at the bottom of a shallow lagoon cut off from the Tethys Ocean which covered much of Europe during the Late Jurassic, by a large reef. The bed of the lagoon could not support life. Animal and plant remains that fell into the lagoon and settled on the bottom were not scavenged by organisms and so they had a chance of being preserved almost intact. Thanks to the exceptional quality of the Archaeopteryx fossils, and this single feather, scientists have determined that the tips of the wings were coloured black.

Scans Reveal Structure of Archaeopteryx Wing

Scientists had discovered that the layout of the feathers on the wings and body of Archaeopteryx were arranged in the same pattern as feathers on the wings of modern birds. In addition, it was known that these feathers were asymmetrical in shape, the same shape as the feathers on modern birds. Asymmetrical feathers are essential to permit powered flight, in the same way that an aircraft’s wing is shaped to create lift.

This new study, adds weight to the “powered flight theory”. An examination of the tiny, hook-like structures known as barbules on the wing feather show that the microscopic structure of the Archaeopteryx feather was identical to that seen in examinations of the feathers of modern birds.

Archaeopteryx may have been a Strong Flier

This new evidence suggests that this primitive bird, a creature that lived during the time of the dinosaurs, may have been quite a strong flier. Being a powerful flier may have been a very useful survival strategy with lots of agile, Theropod dinosaurs around keen to make Archaeopteryx their dinner.

The Tyrannosaurs, or to be more precise those Theropod dinosaurs that make up the family Tyrannosauroidea are perhaps the best known of all the different types of dinosaur. One of the last, and one of the largest Tyrannosaurs to evolve was the fearsome Tyrannosaurus Rex (Tyrant Lizard King). This dinosaur held the record for being the biggest and most powerful land-living predator of all time for the best part of a Century, no respectable dinosaur movie was complete without a T. Rex or two popping up to chase and consume a few people. T. Rex lived at the very end of the Cretaceous, in a part of the world we now know as the western United States and Canada, although at the time much of America was covered by a warm, shallow sea that scientists call the Western Interior Seaway.

Tyrannosaurus Rex was large with a very deep and powerful skull. Its strong jaws and banana sized teeth gave it perhaps the most powerful bite of any terrestrial predator. Scientists have estimated that it could generate a bite force on the tips of its massive teeth in excess of 15,000 lbs per square inch. This is getting on for fifteen times more powerful than the bite of a modern African Lion (Panthero leo).

However, in the late 1990s evidence of even larger meat-eating dinosaurs began to be discovered. Scientists had speculated that the Spinosaurs, in particular the remains of one such creature whose fossilised bones were found in 1911, just a few years after T. Rex had been formally named and described, were at least as large a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Fossils found in South America did prove that the Tyrannosaurs did not have it all their own way when it came to being big and really fierce. In 1993, a local fossil collector Ruben Carolini found the fossilised remains of a huge meat-eating dinosaur. The subsequent scientific expedition uncovered the skull of a carnivorous dinosaur that was bigger than any T. Rex skull then known. The scientists then found the jawbone nearby of another such creature that was even bigger. From these discoveries, the “Giant Southern Lizard” came to be described and Giganotosaurus carolini became officially the largest meat-eating dinosaur known from the fossil record and by default, the largest land-living carnivore of all time.

However, the debate as to which was the biggest meat-eating dinosaur still rages, fuelled by more fossil discoveries from the United States, Argentina and North Africa. A new and intriguing field of research has perhaps revealed a trait amongst Tyrannosaurs that had been up until recently not been considered – that these animals may have been pack hunters.

The behaviour of carnivorous dinosaurs was very probably as diverse as that of modern mammalian carnivores. Today, we see social hunters such as lions and wolves as well as apex predators that tend to be more solitary such as leopards and pumas. In addition, some modern predators, regarded as largely solitary do have a form of pack existence for some part of their lives. A female polar bear (currently regarded as the largest land carnivore living today), will have her cubs with her for a considerable period, although it is the adult that does the hunting. Tigers too, very much regarded as solitary hunters do form packs for some part of their lives. Here young cubs spend perhaps as long as two years with their mother and as sub-adults, siblings will often live as a loose collective for a time, prior to reaching sexual maturity. The collective noun for a group of tigers is an “ambush of tigers” – an apt description considering the ambush tactics that most species of tigers employ when hunting prey.

It was Professor Phi Currie and his colleagues who raised the profile of pack hunting in Tyrannosaurs with a paper published in 2000, detailing a study of an Albertosaur (type of Tyrannosaur) bone bed in Canada. The scientific paper was entitled “Possible Evidence of Gregarious Behaviour in Tyrannosaurids”. The remains of at least three Albertosaurs were discovered together in a bone-bed, these dinosaurs were different sizes perhaps they were a part of a pack of these dinosaurs that perished together crossing a swollen river, or perhaps the bodies of these animals were deposited in the same place many years apart after different flood events.

Professor Currie of the University of Alberta and his team speculated that for at least part of the time, large Theropods may have formed packs or family groups. Juveniles may have associated with mature animals in packs and therefore not competed for food with smaller kinds of Theropods. After a five-year research programme further evidence as to pack behaviour of large species of Tyrannosaurs has been uncovered in the Gobi desert. Phil Currie has been at the forefront of this research, working closely with counterparts from Chinese museums, including the Institute of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Palaeoanthropology. This time, the Tyrannosaur concerned is Tarbosaurus bataar a close relative of Tyrannosaurus Rex. This Asian Tyrannosaurid is the largest Asian predator known with fossils found in China and Mongolia. It was very similar to T. Rex with a slightly narrower snout and smaller teeth. It reached lengths in excess of 12 metres and would have weighed around five metric tonnes.

If Tyrannosaurs, including the likes of Tyrannosaurus Rex were pack hunters then these creatures probably specialised in attacking large herbivores such as Ceratopsians (horned dinosaurs) and Hadrosaurs (duck-billed dinosaurs). Whether these animals remained in family groups for a much of their lives is not known. It is also impossible to determine whether these creatures had any tactics for hunting game. Lions have strategies for hunting on the African plains, wolves too adopt a number of tactics to trap game. Whether Tyrannosaurs were capable of communicating and co-ordinating attacks with perhaps individuals having their own specialised roles to play in the hunt, is unknown.

Tyrannosaurs as pack animals would have been truly formidable. This brings up the intriguing question as to what the collective noun for a pack of Tyrannosaurs should be. A collective noun is a word used to describe a collection of creatures such as a pod of whales, a school of fish or a pride of lions. What would be an appropriate collective known for a group of Theropod dinosaurs? Perhaps we could put forward the proposal for a group of Albertosaurs to be called an “assault” of Albertosaurs.

But what about Tyrannosaurus Rex? What would be the collective noun for a group of these fearsome reptiles, could we suggest a “tyranny” of Tyrannosaurus or how about a “tirade” of T. Rexes?

A Review of the 2014 Schleich T. rex Dinosaur Model

So the first of the four new additions to the Schleich “World of History” model range has arrived and it is apt that the first out of the box as it were, is the light green Tyrannosaurus rex model. This sturdy little fellow with his big feet and articulated lower jaw, lined with teeth is going to prove to be very popular with young dinosaur fans and model collectors no doubt.

As the “Tyrant Lizard King” is such a well-known and popular member of the Dinosauria, no self-respecting Natural History Museum wouldn’t dream of opening a gallery dedicated to these long extinct reptiles without having at least, some Tyrannosaur material to wow visitors. The design team at Schleich must have gone through the same thought process as they now have no less than three different T. rex models to offer fans in their prehistoric life model ranges.

Intriguing Size and Colouration

The dark, almost black eyes of this beast contrast nicely with the light green shading of the body. The underside of the model is painted a sandy colour and although this Tyrannosaurus rex measures a hefty twenty-seven centimetres from the tip of its broad snout to the end of its muscular tail, it is a fraction shorter than the dark green T. rex model introduced by Schleich back in 2012. It has been proposed that the smaller and lighter coloured model could represent a male adult Tyrannosaur, whilst the 2012 version, being slightly bigger and heavier could represent a female member of the species.

Robust versus Gracile

Two types of “Tyrant Lizard” fossil skeleton have been described from Upper Cretaceous fossil deposits such as the famous “Hell Creek” Formation of Montana. First we have the bigger, stronger body fossils, with wider hips and a more robust body form in general. Then we have a more graceful set of fossils, which in comparison to the robust form are approximately ten percent smaller. Could this be evidence of girl Tyrannosaurs being bigger than the boys? Palaeontologists think that the girl “rexes” were larger and more powerful than the males as they had to have larger, wider hips to permit the passage of eggs via the oviducts. Perhaps in Tyrannosaurus rex society it was the girls who ruled the roost!

Articulated Lower Jaw

The overall feel of this model is excellent. The design team have created lots of fine detail over the body with individual, uniform scales having been picked out. The lower jaw is moveable, so this monster can be posed with either its formidable jaws opened or closed. When open, the careful paint work on the teeth and inside the mouth can be admired. The feet are a little oversized, this helps the model balance and as a result, we had no problem getting this relatively large dinosaur model to stand up on the bedroom carpet, a big help if you are a young dinosaur fan playing “Jurassic Park” in the bedroom.

This is another super dinosaur model from the German manufacturer, one that will be loved by children who like dinosaurs. Collectors too, could do with giving this replica some respect as Schleich have managed to reflect what is known about this reptile in their creation and the skin texture and skull of the model is very well sculpted.

Highly recommended.

Papo Dilophosaurus Dinosaur Model Reviewed

Papo, the France based manufacturer of figures and replicas have added a Dilophosaurus dinosaur model to their prehistoric animal model range and very good it is too. A member of the coelophysid group of Theropods, this lithe, agile hunter was probably the apex predator in Early Jurassic environments. Scientists have estimated that this carnivore could have reached lengths in excess of six metres. It may have weighed over five hundred kilogrammes, that’s twice as heavy as an African lion (Panthero leo).

Almost a Quadrupedal Pose

Although most definitely a biped, Dilophosaurus did have relatively long arms. The arms were much longer than those of later Theropods. The Papo figure has been balanced on its hind legs but as the body is bent forwards the right hand with its three-fingered claws is also touching the ground. This is a more than acceptable stance for a dinosaur model and it permits the design team to keep the hind feet of their replica in proportion to the rest of the animal whilst still permitting it to balance.

Lots of Detail and Beautiful Painting

Papo have made sure that they include lots of fine detail. Individual scales can be picked out along the flanks and the patterning continues onto the belly, which is not found in cheaper dinosaur models. There is a row of triangular scales running from the top of the head down the slender neck and there is even a tiny, white-painted row of scales running down under the jaw. The famous double head crest of this dinosaur has been painted a vivid crimson colour. Obviously, the artists at Papo believe that this thin crest served no defensive or aggressive role, but that it was probably used for visual communication amongst Dilophosaurs. The rest of the model is painted a dark tan colour with flashes of blue set out in a stripe pattern across the legs, the flank and along the back.

To Scale with Other Replicas

The model measures around 14cm in length, but as the tail curls around the body, it is actually much bigger than that, measuring around 18 to 19 centimetres in length. As Dilophosaurus (D. wetherilli) is estimated to have reached lengths around six and a half metres, we estimate that this figure is in approximately 1:34 scale. Size wise it fits very well alongside two other Papo Jurassic dinosaur figures, the Allosaurus and the plant-eating Stegosaurus.

Details Around the Mouth

Unlike other predatory dinosaur models made by Papo, the jaw is not articulated, it does not open. However, this is more than made up for by the superb details that can be seen around the mouth. The distinctive curve in the premaxilla of this dinosaur is present and individual teeth have been skilfully painted – all credit to the production team.

This is an excellent dinosaur model, one that will prove popular with collectors and young dinosaur fans – highly recommended.