Why Most Fossils Are Incomplete | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

The fossilized skeleton of a T. Rex named SUE is significant because it is one of the most complete dinosaur specimens ever found.

Key Insights

• 🧑‍🏭 Complete dinosaur fossils, like SUE, are exceptionally rare due to a combination of factors such as scavenging, erosion, and geological processes.
• 👎 Preservation conditions, such as being buried immediately or being a smaller and more common dinosaur, can increase the chances of fossil completeness.
• 🦖 SUE's completeness has provided valuable knowledge about T. Rex anatomy, biomechanics, and behavior.
• 🦕 Other, less complete fossils are needed to understand the usual processes of dinosaur decay and scattering.
• ❓ Support for scientific endeavors, like the study of fossils, is crucial to uncovering fascinating stories and discoveries.
• 👨‍🔬 The discovery of SUE highlights the importance of continued exploration and research in paleontology.
• 💄 Fossilization requires a series of rare events, making each find, regardless of completeness, significant.

Transcript

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Questions & Answers

Q: Why is SUE, the T. Rex fossil, considered significant?

SUE is significant because it is one of the most complete dinosaur fossils ever found, providing valuable insights into the anatomy, biomechanics, and daily life of the T. Rex.

Q: How did SUE, the T. Rex fossil, manage to remain intact?

SUE's completeness is attributed to being buried immediately after death, possibly in a debris flow, which protected its skeleton from being scattered or weathered away.

Q: Why are complete dinosaur fossils rare?

Complete dinosaur fossils are rare due to the likelihood of scavenging and erosion scattering or weathering away the bones. Geological upheaval over millions of years further decreases the chances of preservation.

Q: Are there any factors that increase the likelihood of finding complete dinosaur fossils?

Immediate burial after death, smaller dinosaur size requiring less sediment to bury, and higher population numbers of certain dinosaur species can increase the chances of finding complete fossils.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• SUE, a T. Rex fossil found in South Dakota, is exceptional because it is one of the most complete dinosaur specimens, with 250 of its original 380 bones preserved.

• Most dinosaur fossils consist of fragments or single teeth because complete preservation is unlikely due to scavenging, erosion, and geological upheaval.

• Certain conditions, like being buried immediately after death or being a smaller and more common dinosaur, increased the chances of a complete fossil.