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The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it. - Terry Pratchett

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melittle.jpg Laelaps is the blog of Brian Switek, a freelance science writer based in New Jersey. This blog frequently features his musings on paleontology, evolution, and the history of science. Switek also blogs for Smithsonian magazine's Dinosaur Tracking.

Switek's first book, Written in Stone, will be published next year by Bellevue Literary Press.

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« Paraceratherium: Giraffe-necked or rhino-necked? | Main | Photo of the Day #583: Arsinoitherium »

Are you into theria? 'Cuz I'm into theria

Category: BloggingMammalsPaleontology
Posted on: May 15, 2009 5:10 PM, by Brian Switek


Paraceratherium greets you as you enter the new Extreme Mammals Exhibit.

My laptop is running a little slow, but here I am at the American Museum of Natural History's new "Extreme Mammals" exhibit. The selected casts, sculptures, and interactive displays live up to the exhibition's name. To my right is a life-sized cast of Puijila darwini, the transitional pinniped just announced a few weeks ago, and to my left is a reconstruction of the Arctic during the Eocene, complete with a Coryphodon munching on swamp plants.

The exhibit strikes a good balance between living mammals and bizarre extinct forms. While a Paraceratherium greets you as you enter, you'll also encounter sugar gliders, manatee skeletons, and interactive displays about mammal locomotion (you can even make a bat fly backwards, if you please).


The skull of Uintatherium. Photographed at the AMNH Extreme Mammals exhibit.

What I'm here for, though, are the fossils. I just can't say no to displays of some of my old favorites like Uintatherium, Thylacoleo, and Smilodon. The AMNH has even resurrected it's old La Brea tar pits display for this one; just watch out for the dire wolf sneaking up behind you as you watch a Smilodon struggle to get at a trapped ground sloth.

I'm running out of time so I have to run for now, but expect more pictures (and details) soon!

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Post: just watch out for the fire wolf sneaking up behind you as you watch a Smilodon struggle


If i ever see a fire wolf, i set an ice charm level 19 and hope my melee strength are enough......

For other side, please post pics of the exhibit, for the ones who are too far to see it..... Thanks :)

Posted by: Edgar | May 15, 2009 9:32 PM

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