Big dino prints found in Jurassic park in France

[tocqueville]

Source: Associated Press

By ANGELA DOLAND, Associated Press Writer Angela Doland, Associated Press Writer – 9 mins ago

PARIS – Now that's one big foot.

Paleontologists in eastern France have reported the discovery of some of the largest dinosaur footprints ever documented, measuring about 1.4 meters to 1.5 meters (4.6 feet to 4.9 feet) in diameter.

The site of the find, high in the Jura mountains, was once a literal sauropod stomping ground: So far, 20 prints scattered on a 10-hectare (25-acre) site have been uncovered, paleontologist Jean-Michel Mazin of France's National Center of Scientific Research told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Researchers believe there are hundreds, or even thousands, more still hidden, Mazin said.

The well-preserved footprints from the Late Jurassic period will help scientists learn more about sauropods, long-necked plant eaters that were giants among the dinosaurs. The hulking beasts who left their footprints in the mud 150 million years ago weighed 30 to 40 metric tons (33 to 44 tons) and were more than 25 meters (82 feet) long, the French research center said.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091007/ap_on_re_eu/eu_france_dinosaur_s_big_foot

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[seemunkee]

1. Please refer to them by their proper name

They are called Jesus horses

[truthisfreedom]

3. Bwa-hah!

[blueworld]

2. I need another glass of Merlot...

My first thought was: are these male or female dinosaurs with the big feet? :beer: :rofl:

Thanks for trying to educate me anyway!

[theoldman]

4. The footprints are too large for an animal of that size.

The 82 feet is mostly neck and tail. A two foot footprint would be about right. The footprint for 6 ton elephant is only about one foot.

[XemaSab]

7. I thought they lived in the swamp

They would need big feet to keep from sinking. :shrug:

[tocqueville]

8. a brontosaurus had an...

average length of 23 m (75 ft) and a mass of at least 23 metric tons (25 short tons).



http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rachelkw/5/1250495203/tpod.html

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. Elephants' feet are bigger than that

40-50 cm diameter: http://www.animalcorner.co.uk/wildlife/elephants/elephant_anatomy.html#feet

So this is about 3 times the diameter; that would be 9 times the area. The weight given is about 7 times the elephant weight you give; so it seems fairly proportional, in terms of the pressure under the foot, or (assuming bones are in proportion) the stress in the leg bones.

[Soylent Brice]

5. K&R

[tocqueville]

6. pics and video

http://www.leprogres.fr/fr/images/get.aspx?iMedia=10795508

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCsoyt-RT8o

[corkhead]

10. Max Baucus appears to have pretty big feet

although if you look at his website, he doesn't mention the name "Democrat" anywhere that I could see.

[No Elephants]

11. If you mean his senate.gov site, I don' think that's unusual. I have not

seen a party designation there yet. Kennedy's site did not have one. I don't see any Party designation at a Governor's or a Mayor's site, either. I think the idea is, while serving in office, you represent everyone, not only those in your Party. I don't know; I'm only speculation. I know only that I usually end up at wiki when I am looking for the Party of an elected official.

Not defending the POS, just sayin'.