Our own dinosaurs - SAASTA€¦ · Tendaguru in Tanzania makes it a world-famous dinosaur...
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EasyScience is produced by the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA), an operational unit of the National Research Foundation. SAASTA’s mission is to promote the public under- standing, appreciation and engagement with science and technology among all South Africans. Visit the website: www.saasta.ac.za for more information. The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has declared September African Origins Month. This September, various activities will again be taking place at South Africa’s remarkable palaeontological and archaeological sites. Scientists will share our amazing heritage with all those interested in palaeontology (a study of the remains or traces of extinct animals and plants) and in human history (palaeoanthropology and archaeology). Famous fossil hunter Professor James Kitching of the Bernard Price Institute of Palaeontology in Johannesburg is world-renowned for having collected tons of fossil bones of a variety of extinct southern African animals. Professor James Kitching, photographed many years ago while hunting for fossils. Photo: Bernard Price Institute of Palaeontology Reading the bones Fossilised remains of ancient life on earth, dating back millions of years are preserved in the rocks across our coun- try. Some of these amazing fossils have already been discov- ered and unravelled by our country’s famous fossil hunters. However, there are many more fossils waiting to be discovered in our ancient riverbeds, floodplains and caves. Because of the great age of the South African rock record, our country has a rich fossil heritage which contains a variety of fossils from all the different geological ages. Indeed here in South Africa we have evidence of the earliest life forms on earth that dates to about 3.5 billion years! South Africa’s fossil records include dinosaurs, mammal-like reptiles and some of the earliest humans. The fossil evidence shows that humans originated in Africa and then populated the world from here. Do you want to learn more? For more information on sites in all provinces where you can see fossils, visit: www.saasta.ac.za/africanorigins/explore.shtml Many of you will know the names of several famous dinosaurs from movies or books, like Tyrannosaurus Rex, Triceratops and Stegosaurus. But did you know that many different sizes and types of dinosaurs have been unearthed in Africa? They range from tiny plant- eating dinosaurs found in Lesotho to the world’s largest predatory (meat-eating) dinosaurs, which once prowled across the continent. A high concentration of dinosaur bones found at Tendaguru in Tanzania makes it a world-famous dinosaur ‘graveyard’ and gives us a glimpse into the incredible variety of dinosaurs that lived in Africa about 140 million years ago. Many long-necked dinosaurs, the sauropods, some measuring up to 25 metres in length and weighing several tens of tons, have been unearthed at Tendaguru. Our own dinosaurs MiniMag 27 Extinction of the Cretaceous period, and may have led to the collapse of the reign of the dinosaurs. By the time our ancestors arrived on the scene, dinosaurs had been extinct for more than 62 million years. So, contrary to the popular American cartoon ‘The Flintstones’, humans and dinosaurs never lived at the same time. Dinosaurs Dinosaurs dominated the Earth from about 225 millions years ago for about 160 million years. They developed a wide variety of shapes and sizes. The largest dinosaurs were plant eaters. In particular the long-necked, long-tailed dinosaurs, called sauropods, were enormous, slow moving animals that ate huge amounts of plant food. Dinosaurs laid eggs. Some skeletons have been found with complete nests. The young were born as miniature versions of their parents. No dinosaur fossils are found in rocks that are younger than 65 million years old. No-one knows for certain why dinosaurs became extinct. Many scien- tists believe that a global catastrophe was caused by a combination of several events: an asteroid colliding with Earth, a series of volcanic outpourings and dra- matic sea-level changes. All these events are known to have happened at the end Dinosaur bones were first unearthed in South Africa in the mid-19th century, but they were not recognised as such until much later. In 1854, another South African discovery, Massospondylus, became the first African dinosaur, and one of the first few in the world, to be identified and named. Many other expeditions have been rewarded with amazing finds that have enabled palaeontologists to piece together the history of dinosaurs in Africa, as well as their relationships to dinosaurs found on other continents. A mong his many finds, Kitching discov- ered seven fossilised eggs in a road cutting in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park in the Free State about 30 years ago. The eggs were about six cen- timetres in size and more or less round. Kitching recognised them as dinosaur eggs and suggested that they might be Massospondylus eggs. The eggs were stored at the University of the Witwatersrand. In 2005, six of the eggs were carefully prepared for study by removing the rock surrounding the eggs. The tiny, fossilised embryos were revealed inside the eggs. Scientists studying the two clearly-formed embryos could deduce a number of interesting facts from the fossils, like how the animals grew from babies to adults. A fossil trail and exploration centre in the Karoo was named after Kitching. The Kitching Fossil Exploration Centre was opened in Nieu Bethesda in December 2005 to invite visitors to time travel back 253-million years to what is known as the Permian Period of the Earth’s history. This was 50 million years before the first dinosaurs appeared, when the continents were all joined to form the super-continent of Pangea and the mountains of the Cape were the size of the highest mountains on Earth, the Himalayas. For more information on the Centre, telephone 049 8411 733 or visit: www.wits.ac.za/geosciences/bpi 26 MiniMag A fossilised dinosaur egg that was discovered in the Free State. You can clearly see the tiny embryo.
Transcript of Our own dinosaurs - SAASTA€¦ · Tendaguru in Tanzania makes it a world-famous dinosaur...
EasyScienceis produced by the South
African Agency for Science andTechnology Advancement (SAASTA), an
operational unit of the National ResearchFoundation. SAASTA’s mission is to
promote the public under-standing, appreciationand engagementwith science andtechnology amongall South Africans.
Visit the website:www.saasta.ac.za
for moreinformation.
The Department of Science and Technology (DST) hasdeclared September African Origins Month. This September,
various activities will again be taking place at South Africa’sremarkable palaeontological and archaeological sites. Scientists
will share our amazing heritage with all those interested in palaeontology(a study of the remains or traces of extinct animals and plants) and in human
history (palaeoanthropology and archaeology).
Famous fossil hunterProfessor James Kitching of the Bernard Price Institute of Palaeontology
in Johannesburg is world-renowned for having collected tons of fossilbones of a variety of extinct southern African animals.
ProfessorJamesKitching,photographedmany yearsago whilehunting forfossils.
Photo: Bernard PriceInstitute ofPalaeontology
Reading the bonesFossilised remains of ancient life on earth, dating back
millions of years are preserved in the rocks across our coun-try. Some of these amazing fossils have already been discov-
ered and unravelled by our country’s famous fossil hunters.However, there are many more fossils waiting to be discovered
in our ancient riverbeds, floodplains and caves. Because of thegreat age of the South African rock record, our country has a richfossil heritage which contains a variety of fossils from all thedifferent geological ages. Indeed here in South Africawe have evidence of the earliest life forms on earththat dates to about 3.5 billion years!
South Africa’s fossil records include dinosaurs,mammal-like reptiles and some of the earliest humans.The fossil evidence shows that humans originated inAfrica and then populated the world from here.
Do you want to learn more? For more information onsites in all provinces where you can see fossils, visit:
www.saasta.ac.za/africanorigins/explore.shtml
Many of you will know the names of severalfamous dinosaurs from movies or books, like Tyrannosaurus Rex, Triceratops and Stegosaurus. But did you know that many different sizes and types of dinosaurs have beenunearthed in Africa? They range from tiny plant-eating dinosaurs found in Lesotho to the world’s largestpredatory (meat-eating) dinosaurs, which once prowledacross the continent.
A high concentration of dinosaur bones found atTendaguru in Tanzania makes it a world-famous dinosaur‘graveyard’ and gives us a glimpse into the incrediblevariety of dinosaurs that lived in Africa about 140 millionyears ago. Many long-necked dinosaurs, the sauropods,some measuring up to 25 metres in length and weighingseveral tens of tons, have been unearthed at Tendaguru.
Our own dinosaurs
MiniMag 27
Extinctionof the Cretaceous period, and mayhave led to the collapse of thereign of the dinosaurs.
By the time our ancestors arrivedon the scene, dinosaurs had beenextinct for more than 62 millionyears. So, contrary to the popularAmerican cartoon ‘The Flintstones’,humans and dinosaurs never livedat the same time.
DinosaursDinosaurs dominated the Earth from about 225 millionsyears ago for about 160 million years. They developed awide variety of shapes and sizes. The largest dinosaurswere plant eaters.
In particular the long-necked, long-tailed dinosaurs,called sauropods, were enormous, slow moving animalsthat ate huge amounts of plant food.
Dinosaurs laid eggs. Some skeletons have been found with complete nests. The young were born as miniature
versions of their parents.
No dinosaur fossils are found in rocksthat are younger than 65 million yearsold. No-one knows for certain whydinosaurs became extinct. Many scien-tists believe that a global catastrophewas caused by a combination of severalevents: an asteroid colliding with Earth, aseries of volcanic outpourings and dra-matic sea-level changes. All these eventsare known to have happened at the end
Dinosaur bones were first unearthed in South Africa in
the mid-19th century, but they were not recognised as such
until much later. In 1854, another
South African discovery, Massospondylus, became
the first African dinosaur, and one of the first few in the world, to be identified
and named. Many other expeditions have been rewarded with amazing finds that have enabled palaeontologists to piece together the history of
dinosaurs in Africa, as well as their relationships to dinosaurs found on other continents.
Among his many finds, Kitching discov-ered seven fossilised eggs in a road
cutting in the Golden Gate HighlandsNational Park in the Free State about 30years ago. The eggs were about six cen-timetres in size and more or less round.Kitching recognised them as dinosaureggs and suggested that they mightbe Massospondylus eggs. The eggswere stored at the University of theWitwatersrand. In 2005, six of the eggswere carefully prepared for study byremoving the rock surrounding the eggs.The tiny, fossilised embryos were revealed
inside the eggs. Scientists studying thetwo clearly-formed embryos could deducea number of interesting facts from thefossils, like how the animals grew frombabies to adults.
A fossil trail and exploration centre inthe Karoo was named after Kitching. TheKitching Fossil Exploration Centre wasopened in Nieu Bethesda in December2005 to invite visitors to time travel back253-million years to what is known asthe Permian Period of the Earth’s history.This was 50 million years before the firstdinosaurs appeared, when the continentswere all joined to form the super-continentof Pangea and the mountains of the Capewere the size of the highest mountains onEarth, the Himalayas.
For more information on the Centre, telephone 049 8411 733 or visit: www.wits.ac.za/geosciences/bpi
26 MiniMag
A fossilised dinosaur egg that wasdiscovered in the Free State.
You can clearly see the tiny embryo.
The information on previous pages and many, manymore fascinating facts about the dinosaurs of Africa can
be found in a book, Famous Dinosaurs of Africa bythe distinguished scientist and palaeobiologist Anusuya
Chinsamy-Turan.
The authorProfessor Anusuya Chinsamy-Turan is apalaeobiologist at the University of CapeTown. She studies the biological signalsrecorded in the microscopic structureof bones of extinct and extant (modern)animals. Scientists like Anusuya can dis-cover all sorts of information about thebiology of animals, such as their growthpatterns, by studying their bones understate-of-the-art microscopes.
Win a copy!SAASTA is offering ten copies ofFamous Dinosaurs of Africa toMiniMag readers.◆ Five books will go to readers who
send in the best colourful, imaginative drawings of an African dinosaur.
◆ Five copies will go to the first five correct entries by readers drawn in the crossword competition.
Crossword puzzle
COMPETITIONS!Fill in the crossword or drawyour picture and send your
name and address to:MiniMag/EasyScience 157
GiveawayP. O. Box 72738,
Lynnwood Ridge, 0040before 15 October 2008!
12➪
➪14
➪13
➪11
➪10
➪8
➪6
➪4
➪3
9➪
7➪
2➪
1➪
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Across3. Fossils are mostly found in caves, ancient flood-
plains and ....................4. A factor that could have led to the extinction of
dinosaurs. 6. Where a dinosaur 'graveyard' was found. 8. Long-necked dinosaurs are called ...................... 10. The author of 'Famous dinosaurs of Africa' works
as a ...................... 11. A dinosaur made famous by a movie. 13. African Origins Month always falls in this month. 14. The study of the fossilised, preserved remains of
ancient plants and animals.
Down1. At the end of this period dinosaurs became extinct. 2. The study of humans – their history, cultures and
how they lived.5. First African dinosaur to be identified and named. 7. Long-neck dinosaurs ate ........................ 9. Dinosaurs reproduced by this means. 12.The First name of the author of
Famous Dinosaurs of Africa.
28 MiniMag
Famous Dinosaurs of Africa
She has done research on both modernanimals such as crocodiles and other reptiles,and birds, as well as on fossil animals such asdinosaurs. She did groundbreaking work on thedevelopment of growth curves of dinosaursand the factors that affected theirgrowth and is still contributing widelyto the field of palaeobiology.
The vivid, dramatic illustrations in thebook were done by Luis V. Rey who uses thelatest scientific evidence about dinosaursto create his colourful portraits of dinosaurs.
Short, informative, chapters feature 26 of Africa’s best-knowndinosaur species. Details on where they were found, their
nature, size and diet as well as the meaning of their scientificnames are given.
The featured dinosaurs are brought to life by spectacular illustra-tions. The book also includes four simple hands-on projects, a
dinosaur quiz and a large fold-out poster. Famous Dinosaurs of Africa, published by Struik, is availableat major bookstores around the country.
MiniMag 29
GAUTENG❖ Bernard Price Institute
Museum of Palaeontology❖ Cradle of Humankind❖ Mapungubwe Museum❖ Museum of Anthropology
and Archaeology❖ Museum Africa❖ African Window (National
Cultural History Museum)❖ Rock Art Research Institute❖ Transvaal Museum❖ Tswaing Meteorite Crater
NORTH WEST PROVINCE❖ Cradle of Humankind❖ Taung Heritage Site❖ Vredefort Dome
FREE STATE❖ The National Museum
EASTERN CAPE❖ The Albany Museum
Explore African originsprovince by province
There are many fascinating centres where you canexplore African Origins apart from the Kitching Centrein the Karoo. Find one close to you and visit it during
African Origins Month.
WESTERN CAPE❖ Cederberg Wilderness
Area❖ Iziko South African
Museum❖ West Coast Fossil Park
MMPUMALANGA❖ Echo Caves❖ Sudwala Caves and
Dinosaur Park
NORTHERN CAPE❖ Kimberley Archaeology
Tour❖ McGregor Museum❖ Victoria West Museum❖ Wildebeest Kuil Rock Art
Centre
LIMPOPO❖ Lost Kingdom of
Mapungubwe
Note: Fossils are protected by law and may not be collected or traded.
Spellingmade funSpellingmade fun
OpenSpell, a wacky, educational game thattargets spelling skills, has been designed bythe CSIR’s Meraka Institute especially forkids in developing regions. It has beenreleased free of charge in all 11 official SouthAfrican languages.
The game consists of a simple interactive computer-based activity that can be set at three levels: easy,
medium and difficult. Feedback to users is in the formof fun rewards or penalties.
OpenSpell is easy to use and easy to edit, soteachers can modify this game to suit their classroom,curriculum and dialect.
The second component of the game allows tutorsto edit the key board and record sounds.
The software has been released under a GnuGeneral Public License (GPL) which removes restrictionson distributing copies, while requiring that the samefreedoms be preserved in modified versions.
Download OpenSpell at http://www.meraka.org.za/openspell.htm
Have some fun with spelling!
