One-Tank Trip for
Jan. 21-17
(c) By Jim Fox
Dinosaurs that
roamed the earth millions of years ago are returning to Waterloo Region.
Not exactly the
real, live ones but more than 10 life-sized dinosaur specimens in the North
American premier of Tyrannosaurs – Meet the Family at the Waterloo Region
Museum in Kitchener.
This “blockbuster
exhibit” is in town from Feb. 3 to April 30 and the “innovative, hands-on
immersive experience” was developed by the Australian Museum.
“Come
face-to-face with life-sized dinosaur skeletons, including Scotty, the Tyrannosaurus
rex” said Sean Jasmins, museums’ supervisor of marketing and partnerships.
An exhibition at the Waterloo Region Museum showcases the newly revised tyrannosaur family tree. (James Horan, Australian Museum) |
As well, meet up
with one of the oldest tyrannosaurs, Guanlong wucaii, the newly discovered
feathery relative of T. rex, he added.
This exhibit
showcases the newly revised tyrannosaur family tree and is designed to provide
a snapshot of dinosaur life and show how this group became the world’s top
predators with their massive skulls, powerful jaws and bone-crunching teeth.
It will be the first exhibition to showcase
the revised tyrannosaur family tree.
“Who isn’t
fascinated by dinosaurs?” said Tom Reitz, manager/curator of the museum.
“This provides a
snapshot of dinosaur life and shows how this group of animals became the
world’s top predators with their massive skulls, powerful jaws and
bone-crunching teeth,” he added.
Visitors can discover
and learn how recent scientific findings confirm the links between dinosaurs
and birds.
Using multi-touch
technologies, they can compare their arm strength to that of a mighty T. rex and
grasp the enormous scale of geological time in the context of human evolution.
Tyrannosaurus rex is a featured attraction at a dinosaur exhibition in Kitchener. (James Horan, Australian Museum) |
They can also download
a free Tyrannosaurs app and have fun hatching dinosaur eggs and collecting them
while discovering secrets behind this formidable dinosaur family.
Current scientific
research is causing the world’s most popular dinosaur, Tyrannosaurus
rex to be re-evaluated, Jasmins said.
Though one of the
first tyrannosaurs to be discovered, T. rex – the swift, flesh-eating apex
predator – was actually the last in a long dinosaur dynasty that appeared 165
million years ago and perished 100 million years later.
During the past
five years, paleontologists have discovered T. rex’s smaller ancestors including
Guanlong wucaii.
It is among the
most primitive tyrannosaurs known, hunting 90 million years before T. rex.
Discoveries like
these are changing the story of the evolution of tyrannosaurs and this fossil
helps make the case that feathers originated in dinosaurs before they became
used for flight in birds.
In small,
flightless dinosaurs like Guanlong wucaii, feathers may have evolved as something
essential for staying warm.
The latest dinosaur
finds by Chinese palaeontologist Xing Xu and his team were discovered together
in Northwestern China preserved in layers of shale, mudstone and volcanic ash.
Visitors can get up
close to life-sized dinosaur specimens at the Waterloo Region Museum in
Kitchener. (James Horan, Australian Museum)
|
Shedding light on
what life was like 160 million years ago for this group of dinosaurs, these
discoveries have cemented the evolutionary link between dinosaurs and birds.
Even with mass
extinction events 65 million years ago, some dinosaurs survived and continued
to evolve into the modern birds we live with today.
With a name meaning
crown dragon, Guanlong wucaii lived 160 million years ago in the late Jurassic
period, with its eponymous spectacular head crest running along its snout from
nostril to eye socket.
Not a typical
tyrannosaur, it had long arms and three-fingered hands for grabbing and ripping.
Other featured
specimens in the exhibition include Dilong, Tarbosaurus, Daspletosaurus,
Albertosaurus, Appalachiosaurus, Gorgosaurus and Teratophoneus.
If you go
The museum, at 10
Huron Rd., Kitchener, anticipates record crowds to see this exhibition that
runs through Family Day weekend and March Break.
Extended hours to 8
p.m. on Feb. 23, March 23 and April 13 are also offered.
It is said to be “appropriate
for all ages, including children over three years.”
Admission to the
museum and exhibits is $10, adults; $8, seniors and students; $5, ages five to
12; free, four and younger; $25, family, two adults and dependent children. waterlooregionmuseum.com; (519) 748-1914
-30-
Jim Fox can be reached at onetanktrips@hotmail.com
For more One-Tank Trips: http://1tanktrips.blogspot.ca
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