Re: Proof at last? (hot-blooded T. rex)

[bh162@scn.org (Phillip Bigelow)]

>A question from Noel "Son of David" Hill
>I've recently seen the Discovery Channel's show "Beyond T-Rex".
>In that program a scientist demonstrates how he claims to be
>able to prove dinosaur's warm-bloodedness.

Was it one of these guys?:

Barrick, R.E., and W.J. Showers. 1994. Thermophysiology of
    Tyrannosaurus rex: evidence from oxygen isotopes.
    Science, volume 265:222-224.


>The experiment is supposed find the consistency of oxygen molecules

An isotope of oxygen, actually. The heavy isotope (O^18).  The
incorporation of O^18 in living tissues is temperature dependent.


>throughout the animal's body.  if the oxygen molecules are
>equally distributed, than that means that the animal had the
>same body tempiture everywhere in it's body therefore the
>animal is warm-blooded.

The animal may *still* have been a homeotherm, but not truely
endothermic like birds and mammals are.


>It would seem that the great debate is finally over,... 


Wish it were so, but alas, it is just one more piece of
evidence.

                  <pb>



--
                 Phil Bigelow
                 bh162@scn.org