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Tyrannosaur’s last meal was two baby dinosaurs
The last meal of a 75-million-year-old Tyrannosaur has been revealed by scientists – two baby Dinosaurs.
Researchers say the preservation of the animal – and of the small, unfortunate creatures it ate – shines new light on how these predators lived.
It is “solid evidence that tyrannosaurs drastically changed their diet as they grew up,” said Dr Darla Zelenitsky, from the University of Calgary.
The specimen is a juvenile Gorgosaurus – a close cousin of the giant T. rex.
This particular Gorgosaur was around seven years old – equivalent to a teenager in terms of its development. It weighed about 330kg when it died – about a tenth of the weight of a fully-grown adult.
The hind limbs of two, small bird-like dinosaurs called Citipes are visible beneath its rib cage.
“We now know that these teenage [Tyrannosaurs] hunted small, young dinosaurs,” said Dr Zelenitsky, one of the lead scientists in this study, which published in the journal Science Advances.
An array of earlier fossil evidence, including evident bite marks on the bones of larger dinosaurs that match tyrannosaur teeth, have allowed scientists to build a picture of how the three-tonne adult Gorgosaurs attacked and ate very large plant-eating dinosaurs which lived in herds.
Dr Francois Therrien, from the Royal Tyrell Museum of Palaeontology, described these adult tyrannosaurs as “quite indiscriminate eaters”. They probably pounced on large prey, “biting through bone and scraping off flesh,” he told BBC News.
But, Dr Zelenitsky, added, “these smaller, immature tyrannosaurs were probably not ready to jump into a group of horned dinosaurs, where the adults weighed thousands of kilograms”.
‘Toes poking through the ribcage’
The fossil was originally discovered in the Alberta Badlands in 2009 – a hotspot for dinosaur hunters.
Entombed in rock, it took years to prepare and it wasn’t immediately obvious that there was prey inside. Staff at Alberta’s Royal Tyrell Museum of Palaeontology eventually noticed small toe-bones sticking out from the ribcage.
“The rock within the ribcage was removed to expose what was hidden inside,” explained Dr Therrien, who is the other lead scientist in this study. “And lo and behold – the complete hind legs of two baby dinosaurs, both under a year old.”
Dr Zelenitsky said that finding only the legs suggested that this teenage Gorgosaurus “seems to have wanted the drumsticks – probably because that’s the meatiest part”.
The Gorgosaurus is a slightly smaller, more ancient species than T. Rex. Fully grown, these were – as Dr Therrien put it – “big, burly tyrannosaurs”.
They transformed as they matured. “Juveniles were much more lightly built – with longer legs and very blade-like teeth,” he explained. “Adults’ teeth are all much rounder – we call them ‘killer bananas’. “This specimen is unique – it’s physical proof of the juveniles’ very different feeding strategy.
While the adults bit and scraped with their powerful “killer banana” teeth, “this animal was selecting and even dissecting its prey – biting off the legs and swallowing them whole”.
Prof Steve Brusatte, a palaeontologist from the University of Edinburgh and the National Museum of Scotland, said that seeing prey in the dinosaur’s guts gave a real insight into the animals: “They weren’t just monsters, they were real, living things and pretty sophisticated feeders.”
Recalling a depiction of T. rex in the 1993 film Jurassic Park – where the giant dinosaur chased a car through the fictional theme park – Prof Brusatte added: “A big, adult T. rex wouldn’t have chased after a car – if cars or jeeps were around back then – its body was too big, and it couldn’t move that fast.
“It would be the youngsters – like this gorgosaur – the children of T. rex that you’d have to keep an eye on.”
(BBC)
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
