"Leonardo" to be unveiled this September

i-a674c865fb5a15586991884f1bc57b5f-leoskeleton.jpg


"Leonardo," the mummy dinosaur.


News of the well-preserved skeleton of the Edmontosaurus "Dakota" have been featured prominently in the news lately, but according to an announcement made this weekend, another exquisitely-preserved hadrosaur is going to be put on public display this coming September. "Leonardo," a beautifully-preserved Brachylophosaurus, will be presented to the public starting September 19, 2008 in the exhibit "Dinosaur Mummy CSI: Cretaceous Science Investigation" at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Eventually the exhibit will tour the country, but if you want to see Leonardo "in the flesh," you'll have to go to Houston; the traveling show will wisely only feature a replica.

i-ce4378f390a00e93ee1a603b8e9047e4-LeoMuralFinal.jpg

So far, the only published literature about Leonardo appeared in the technical book Horns and Beaks. I assume that those of us suffering from paleo nerd syndrome will soon see some more published material, though, and I can't wait to see how Leonardo will change what we understand about dinosaurs (from what I've been told, we can expect some papers out about Dakota this year, as well).

i-e972b670be45e6829220f7b6d045db55-leobakkerschematic.jpg

This weekend I had the opportunity to ask Robert Bakker, curator of paleontology at the HMNS and one of the paleontologists working on Leonardo, how this hadrosaur mummy is going to change our understanding of dinosaurs. For the answers, though, you'll have to check back later next week when I publish the fully e-mail interview with the famous paleontologist.

[Images courtesy the Houston Museum of Natural Science]

More like this

Is the National Geographic Society hurting science more than helping it? In December of 2007 the group launched a media blitz (including two books, a documentary, and a speaking tour) surrounding the exquisitely preserved specimen of "Dakota," purported to be an as-yet-undescribed species of…
George and Charles H. Sternberg's "Trachodon" (=Edmontosaurus) mummy, discovered in Wyoming in 1908. Image from Osborn, H.F. (1912) "Integument of the iguanodont dinosaur Trachodon", Memoirs of the AMNH ; new ser., v. 1, pt. 1-2. Dinosaur "mummies," specimens that have undergone unusual…
"Leonardo," the mummy dinosaur, courtesy of the HMNS. Although it got a brief treatment in the book Horns and Beaks, many people have been waiting for more information on the exceptionally-preserved Brachylophosaurus skeleton named "Leonardo." Due to be unveiled next week at the Houston Museum…
Remember "Dakota," the exquisitely-preserved hadrosaur that was the selling point of a book that barely featured it? (See here for more gripes) It turns out that it's an Edmontosaurus, although the species name is left off so I have no idea whether the specimen represents a new variety of…

"For the answers, though, you'll have to check back later next week when I publish the fully e-mail interview with the famous paleontologist."

A cliffhanger! Diabolical!

It seems there is a quotation mark too many in the HTML for the later two images - they don't load.

(And I wish I had something intelligent to add about the post itself, but I don't.)

Thanks for setting minds at ease about Dakota and Leonardo. Now, if only that mummified Triceratops locked in combat with a mummified Tyrannosaurus would pop out of the ground...

By Adam Pritchard (not verified) on 29 Mar 2008 #permalink

Well, what can I say? SWEET!

Adam Pritchard: Well, either that, or a mummified giant sauropod, that formed a dam and accumulated behind its giant carcass a wonderful complete representation of the fauna and flora in its environment, with all the dinosaur fossils being complete and articulated, with soft tissue preservation and even skin and protofeathers to boot. =)

Well, we can all dream.

For me, this is a great news for all dinosaur fan and lovers! Imagine that, a mummified dinosaur! I cant wait to get to know more about this dinosaur. The possibilities to study, get some DNA... Its a great possibilities! :)

By IceMeteoR (not verified) on 23 Dec 2008 #permalink