Re: Proteins from hadrosaur

[Jeff Hecht <jeff@jeffhecht.com>]

Thanks for the link. The genomeweb gives a good description of the genomics. 
It's definitely neat stuff. 

I wrote a short general article for New Scientist that I wish I had been able 
to expand further, but which does include a description of Mary Schweitzer's 
work.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17060-first-dino-blood-extracted-from-ancient-bone.html

What got lost from this version is comments from outside critics who generally 
think this is a major step forward, but doesn't satisfy all their questions. 
It's safe to say that you need exceptionally well-preserved fossils to find 
this stuff, but it's not clear how rare they are. It does look like 
preservation in sandstone very quickly after death is a big help. 

The Science paper is good, and I also recommend Robert Service's news story in 
Science http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/324/5927/578?, if you have 
access to the journal. 

>I haven't seen the Science paper yet, but this news article 
>
>http://www.genomeweb.com/proteomics/team-sequenced-proteins-t-rex-now-sequen
>ces-hadrosaur
>
>contains more technical detail than you'd get in most other places. Kewl!

-- 
Jeff Hecht, science & technology writer
jeff@jeffhecht.com or jhecht@nasw.org
Boston Correspondent: New Scientist magazine
Contributing Editor: Laser Focus World
525 Auburn St., Auburndale, MA 02466 USA
tel. 617-965-3834  http://www.jeffhecht.com