Scientists Discover that Dinosaurs Taste Like Chicken

News Type: Event — Seeded on Tue Nov 24, 2009 9:44 AM EST

Article Source: National Geographic

science, chicken, dinosaur, national-geographic, amino-acids, soft-tissue

Ancient collagen—the main protein component of bone—has been extracted from the remains of a 68-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex, according to two new reports.

The new studies provide strong support for the hotly debated claims that organic material previously extracted from the T. rex's leg bone is original dinosaur soft tissue that somehow escaped fossilization.

Published to:

Killfile's Column, All of Newsvine
Groups: GeekVine, Headline Discussion, Newsvine Science, Open Minded, Skeptics, US News and Views
Regions: none

What's this?

Who's leading the conversation?

This visualization below allows you to see the impact that each user has on the current conversation. The top row contains the group of users who have had the most impact, the 2nd row the group of users who have had the 2nd most impact (et cetera). Users with similar impact are grouped together, and the average score of the group is shown to the left of the group. The author of the article is also shown on the left, in their corresponding group. Each user's score is based on the number of comments the user has made plus the number of votes their comments have received. The scores are calculated relative one another, so while their absolute value is not particularly important, their relative difference does indicate a larger difference in impact on the conversation.

5.3

3.8

2.4

{"commentId":10865957,"authorDomain":"killfile"}

Killfile

Ok... the headline is a little bit of extrapolation on my part. They discovered that the protein structure is similar to chickens. Now protein structure is what gives meat flavor - amino acids and whatnot - and if that structure is similar to chicken it follows that the flavor would be as well.

{"commentId":10865957,"threadId":"731753","contentId":"3538823","authorDomain":"killfile"}

1 vote

#1 - Tue Nov 24, 2009 9:56 AM EST

{"commentId":10867250,"authorDomain":"shub"}

Shub Tnediserp Remrof

Everything seems to taste like chicken. Can't there be something that taste like roast beef or turkey, or another type of meat besides chicken.

{"commentId":10867250,"threadId":"731753","contentId":"3538823","authorDomain":"shub"}

3 votes

#2 - Tue Nov 24, 2009 11:03 AM EST

{"commentId":10886058,"authorDomain":"sphinx"}

Jack Huang

Well, if you get bored with chicken, you can say that so-and-so tastes like alligator, since alligator tastes like chicken, so everything carries over. :-P

{"commentId":10886058,"threadId":"731753","contentId":"3538823","authorDomain":"sphinx"}

4 votes

#2.1 - Wed Nov 25, 2009 8:31 AM EST

{"commentId":10869124,"authorDomain":"CoolRockinDaddy"}

Skallywag-572756

I seem to remember an article or something that said turkeys were actually decedents of T-Rex. The picture painted my mind is of a Fred Flintstone sized turkey sitting on the table after Wilma carried it, waitress style, to the table....

{"commentId":10869124,"threadId":"731753","contentId":"3538823","authorDomain":"CoolRockinDaddy"}

2 votes

#3 - Tue Nov 24, 2009 12:24 PM EST

{"commentId":10888723,"authorDomain":"dungbeetlemania"}

dungbeetlemania

Nice find Killfile, thanks once again.

{"commentId":10888723,"threadId":"731753","contentId":"3538823","authorDomain":"dungbeetlemania"}

2 votes

#4 - Wed Nov 25, 2009 10:42 AM EST

{"commentId":10904845,"authorDomain":"justtim"}

justTim

Awesome find! Thanks for this, Killfile!

Dinosaurs may taste like chicken, but this exciting research started with what dinosaurs smell like...

Those who have collected dino bones in the Hell Creek Formation have long noticed that some of them don't seem to be completely mineralized, and they smell like death.

Sure, all dino bones smell a bit; Most smell flinty, with a hint of sulfur from pyrites and other sulfur compounds in the rock. Bones trap water nicely, so most take on a musty, moldy smell after exposure to air as microorganisms multiply inside. Most bones are found near the surface, and have been invaded by plant roots that seek the minerals they contain. Digging them up produces a soil smell as plant materials decay. But some Hell Creek bones have a unique smell, a hint of rotting flesh.

It was when Horner unwrapped some of these bones and Schweitzer commented on the odor that this all began. A molecular biologist, she had the tools to see what caused the smell. As a biblical creationist she was curious to see if our understanding of the antiquity of the bones is correct.

Now we know dinosaurs probably tasted like chicken, but dinosaurs from the Hell Creek smell like road-kill. This has led to some amazing discoveries in dinosaur biology and taphonomy. From medullary bone, trabecular tissues, and heme compounds to this newest find of preserved biomolecules. It has also changed the way we handle fossils...this is undoubtedly a rare find, but probably not unique. It's only a matter of time and attention before we uncover the next treasure trove of dinosaur biology. Truly exciting stuff!

{"commentId":10904845,"threadId":"731753","contentId":"3538823","authorDomain":"justtim"}

3 votes

#5 - Thu Nov 26, 2009 10:34 AM EST

{"canLink":false,"threadId":"731753","isPrivate":false}

KILLFILE

Backyard

Scientists Discover that Dinosaurs Taste Like Chicken

Published to:

FUN STUFF:

COMPANY STUFF:

LEGAL STUFF: