Syndicate: 971208 Sound of Dinosaurs

[John Duncan <jduncan@agemont.it>]

<<>Saturday December 6 1:14 AM EST
>
>U.S. Scientists Recreate Sound of Dinosaur
>
>By Zelie Pollon
>
>ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (Reuters) - U.S. scientists said Friday after two
>years of work they had recreated the call of the
>duck-billed Parasaurolophus dinosaur and it was a long, low moan.
>
>They said they had uncovered and simulated the extinct creature's deep,
>rumbling, whale-like or elephant-like groan using
>scans of a rare dinosaur fossil and powerful computers.
>
>"It's kind of a sad sound and a little out of this world," Dr. Tom
>Williamson at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History
>and Science said of the Parasaurolophus' call as the team's simulated
>version reverberated around the building Friday. The
>two-year project to recreate the Parasaurolophus' sound began after a
>skull fossil of the 25-foottall, plant-eating dinosaur was
>discovered in northwest New Mexico in 1995.
>
>Dr. Carl Diegert of the Sandia National Laboratory in Albuquerque said
>the team of scientists wanted to understand the
>function of a bony, tubular crest extending from the back of the
>dinosaur's head.
>
>The crest, shaped like a trombone, contained a labyrinth of air cavities
>that Diegert believed made a distinctive sound. By
>simulating the fossil structure on computer, the scientists came up with
>a unique sound which they say is the real thing.
>
>It can be heard on the following Internet sites:
>http://www.nmmnh-abq.mus.nm.us
>and
>http://www.sandia.gov
>
>Williamson said the sound may have been so distinctive that dinosaurs of
>the same species could have recognized each other.
>"This is not conclusive, but it seems plausible because of the unique
>nature of each dinosaur's crest," he said.
>
>The team has applied for a copyright for the sound.
>
>"There are some commercial interests," a spokesman for the New Mexico
>museum said. "If there's a corporation out there
>that wants to make money off it, then we're open to that."
>
>Chris Miller, a spokesman for Sandia National Laboratory, said Microsoft
>Corp was among companies to have shown
>interest. "We're expecting the sound to influence any future movies
>about dinosaurs," he said.>>

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