Science
Related: About this forumExtinct giant penguin found in shed
A giant penguin that would have towered above today's largest species has been discovered in a New Zealand university's storage shed, it's been reported.
The fossilised bones of the as-yet unnamed bird had remained in storage at Auckland University since 1971, until the advent of 3D printing helped experts confirm that it was "almost certainly" a new type of giant penguin, Radio New Zealand International reports. The new technology meant that Dr Daniel Thomas was able to scan the bones to an American palaeontologist, and they were able to determine the bird would have stood at least 30cm taller than an emperor penguin, and taller than the extinct Kairuku penguin, whose remains were identified in 2012. "I imagine an emperor would have run away scared," Dr Thomas said, pointing out that he was still unsure if the 4ft 3in (1.3m) specimen was a juvenile or an adult.
The New Zealand Herald said that the new species was the first of its kind to be found on North Island, and the specimen dates back 28 million years to a time when New Zealand was largely underwater. The storage shed at the university may still yield other discoveries, Dr Thomas said. "It turned out there was a raft of other specimens as well - it was a treasure trove of some really incredible stuff," he told the paper.
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more: http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-30244190
I sometimes wish journos would learn to use the phrase "fossilized remains of ..." before announcing some "new" creature has been discovered ... I always have this "Calvin and Hobbes" moment when I read "new dinosaur discovered in ...", and burst out with "cool!" just like Calvin would if an actual, living dinosaur were discovered.
djean111
(14,255 posts)And maybe Mr. Popper stashed it there so it would not be dissected.
NV Whino
(20,886 posts)I was hoping for this big dude who had been hanging around for years surviving on discarded cheeseburgers.
GeorgeGist
(25,319 posts)truedelphi
(32,324 posts)Rhiannon12866
(205,237 posts)ChazInAz
(2,566 posts)Giant, prehistoric penguins feature in his novel "At The Mountains of Madness". Let's hope there are no anomalous, crinoid fossils in that same shed!
JHB
(37,158 posts)"All right, you can stay, if you're useful. Hand me that rake. Oh, no hands, you say? Right, then, bugger off!"
wzw90334
(3 posts)Is it true? Fake!!!!