Today, we have some fascinating topics to explore, including a one-armed Tyrannosaurus Rex, new discoveries about ancient beardogs, and the story of a unique, tiny plant. Let’s jump right in!
Sue, the famous Tyrannosaurus Rex at The Field Museum, is the largest and most complete T-rex ever found. Recently, Sue’s left arm was sent to Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois for some exciting research. Paleontologist Carmen Soriano is using this arm to solve a big mystery: what did T-rex use their small arms for?
By taking micro CT scans of Sue’s arm, Carmen will create detailed 3D images of the bone’s interior. This will help scientists see tiny details like blood vessels and muscle attachment points. Understanding these details might reveal how Sue and other T-rexes used their arms. Although the research is just starting, it could finally answer the question of how T-rex used their arms.
In 1913, a young graduate student named Norma Pfeiffer made an incredible discovery. She found a rare, tiny blue flower called Thismia Americana on the South Side of Chicago. This flower became the focus of her graduate studies. Norma taught at the University of North Dakota but returned to Chicago every summer to search for the plant until 1917, when it disappeared.
Thismia Americana is unique because it doesn’t have chlorophyll, which most plants use to make food. Instead, it gets nutrients from a fungus in its roots. Its closest relative is the Fairy Lantern from Tasmania, raising questions about how it traveled so far. Some scientists think it might have slowly moved underground across a land bridge to Illinois, but this is still a mystery.
Norma Pfeiffer passed away in 1989, but her work lives on. She published 65 scientific articles and left behind maps of where she last saw Thismia Americana. This year, botanists and volunteers searched the area in hopes of finding the flower again, but it remains elusive. However, they remain hopeful that it might bloom once more.
Field Museum researcher Susumu Tomiya and his colleague Jack Tseng from the State University of New York recently made exciting discoveries about ancient animals called beardogs. These fossils had been sitting in a drawer for 30 years, waiting for someone to recognize their importance.
Beardogs are ancient relatives of wolves, weasels, and foxes. They looked like a mix between a bear and a dog and lived 5 to 10 million years ago. Over their 44 million years of existence, they evolved from small, omnivorous creatures to larger, meat-eating animals.
Susumu and Jack found that some fossils were misclassified in the beardog family tree. For example, one fossil was the size of a chihuahua, suggesting it was much older than other larger beardogs from that time. These newly classified fossils lived around 38 to 37 million years ago in what is now Texas. This research helps us understand more about the beardog family and the animals that lived in North America during that era.
Thank you for joining us for this episode of Natural News from The Field Museum! This is our last episode of the year, but be sure to check out our previous episodes. Don’t forget to subscribe for updates when we return next year. See you soon!
Using clay or modeling materials, create a model of a T-rex arm. Pay attention to the size and shape of the bones. Once your model is complete, discuss with your classmates how the arm might have been used by the T-rex. Consider the research being done on Sue’s arm and think about what new information might be revealed.
Imagine you are a botanist like Norma Pfeiffer. Create a scavenger hunt in your local area to find unique plants. Document your findings with photos and notes, and research any plants you find that are unfamiliar. Share your discoveries with the class and discuss the importance of preserving rare plant species.
Research the evolutionary history of beardogs and create a family tree poster. Include information about their size, diet, and habitat changes over time. Present your poster to the class and explain how these ancient animals are related to modern species like wolves and foxes.
Explore the concept of 3D imaging by creating your own 3D drawings. Use graph paper to draw a simple object from different angles, then combine these views to create a 3D representation. Discuss how 3D imaging helps scientists like Carmen Soriano study fossils in detail.
Work in groups to classify a set of “fossils” (use images or replicas). Use clues about size, shape, and other features to determine where each fossil fits in the evolutionary timeline. Present your findings to the class and compare your classifications with those of other groups.
**Sanitized Transcript:**
Welcome back to Natural News from The Field Museum. We have some exciting topics to cover today, including a one-armed Tyrannosaurus Rex, new research about fossil beardogs, and the celebration of a unique, tiny plant. Let’s dive in!
*music*
**Sue Lends a Hand for Science**
Sue, our iconic Tyrannosaurus Rex, known for being the largest and most complete specimen of her species ever discovered, recently contributed to some new research. Her left arm was removed and taken to Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont, Illinois, where paleontologist Carmen Soriano hopes it will help answer a significant mystery about these animals: What did they use their small arms for?
Fractures in bones can provide insights into how limbs function. Carmen will take micro CT scans of the arm to produce high-resolution images of its interior, creating a detailed three-dimensional model. This will allow scientists to examine the bone on a cellular level, revealing microscopic details, including blood vessels and muscle attachment points. Understanding the internal structure of Sue’s arm bone may help us determine if and how she used her arms.
While we are just beginning this research, we hope to answer the age-old question of how T-rex used their arms.
*music*
In 1913, graduate student Norma Pfeiffer became the youngest person to earn a doctorate from the University of Chicago at the age of 23, during a time when women could not vote in the United States. She discovered a rare plant on the Chicago South Side, an unusual translucent blue flower she named Thismia Americana.
Norma spotted this tiny flower while collecting liverwort specimens, and it became the subject of her graduate dissertation. She taught at the University of North Dakota but returned every summer to search for the rare plant until she could no longer find it in 1917. Over the years, a barn and later a factory were built on the site where Thismia was last seen.
Norma discovered that Thismia Americana lacked chlorophyll, relying on soil nutrients digested by a fungus in its roots. She also found that its closest living relative is the Fairy Lantern from Tasmania. This raises the question of how such a tiny plant traveled halfway across the world. Some research suggests it could hibernate underground, making a slow journey across a land bridge to modern-day Illinois, but this remains a mystery.
Dr. Pfeiffer passed away in 1989 at the age of 100, but her legacy and discovery will not be forgotten. She published 65 scientific articles, primarily on lilies, and left behind maps and information about where she last saw Thismia Americana. Today, that area is located at 119th and Torrence Avenue in Chicago. This year, a group of field botanists and volunteers made a trek to the area in hopes of finding another Thismia flower, a hundred years after it was last seen. Although they were unable to find it this year, botanists remain hopeful that this unique blue flower may still be waiting to sprout again.
**Beardogs!**
Field Museum postdoctoral researcher Susumu Tomiya and colleague Jack Tseng from the State University of New York recently published two new fossil discoveries in the Royal Society of Open Science. These fossils, which had been in a specimen drawer for 30 years, were waiting for the right person to recognize their uniqueness.
Susumu and Jack studied fossil beardogs, ancient relatives of modern-day wolves, weasels, and foxes. As the name suggests, beardogs resemble a mix between a bear and a dog. They went extinct 5 to 10 million years ago, and the group underwent significant changes during their 44 million years of existence, evolving from small, omnivorous animals to larger, specialized meat-eaters.
Paleontologists often observe a trend in the fossil record where earlier species are smaller and evolve to become larger as they adapt to taking down prey. However, this can lead to extinction if they cannot adapt quickly to environmental changes.
The fossils Susumu examined were already known but had been misclassified in the beardog family tree. For instance, one fossil was the size of a chihuahua, while most beardogs from that time were larger, indicating that this specimen was much older than previously thought.
These newly classified animals lived around 38 to 37 million years ago in what is now Texas. This research not only enhances our understanding of the beardog family tree but also sheds light on the types of animals thriving in North America during that period.
Thank you for watching this episode of Natural News from The Field Museum! This will be our last episode of the year, so be sure to check out our previous episodes. Don’t forget to subscribe for notifications when we start publishing again in the new year. See you later!
*smells like knowledge*
T-rex – A large carnivorous dinosaur that lived during the late Cretaceous period, known for its massive size and powerful jaws. – The T-rex was one of the most fearsome predators of its time, roaming the Earth millions of years ago.
Thismia – A genus of small, rare, and often subterranean flowering plants that are usually found in tropical regions. – The discovery of a new species of Thismia in the rainforest excited botanists around the world.
Americana – Referring to species or elements that are native to or characteristic of America, often used in scientific names. – The butterfly species Danaus plexippus americana is commonly known as the American Monarch.
Chlorophyll – A green pigment found in plants and algae that is essential for photosynthesis, allowing them to absorb energy from light. – Chlorophyll gives leaves their green color and helps plants make food from sunlight.
Fungus – A group of spore-producing organisms that feed on organic matter, including molds, yeast, mushrooms, and toadstools. – The fungus growing on the fallen log was breaking down the wood into nutrients that enriched the soil.
Nutrients – Substances that provide nourishment essential for growth and the maintenance of life. – Plants absorb nutrients from the soil through their roots to help them grow and stay healthy.
Fossils – The preserved remains or impressions of organisms that lived in the past, often found in sedimentary rock. – Fossils of ancient marine creatures can be found in the limestone cliffs, providing clues about Earth’s history.
Evolution – The process by which different kinds of living organisms are thought to have developed and diversified from earlier forms during the history of the Earth. – The theory of evolution explains how species adapt to their environments over long periods of time.
Plants – Living organisms that typically grow in soil, have stems, leaves, and roots, and produce their own food through photosynthesis. – Plants play a crucial role in the ecosystem by producing oxygen and serving as food for many animals.
Research – The systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions. – Scientists conduct research to better understand how climate change affects biodiversity.
