dinosaurs (:

link: www.macroevolution.net/dinosaurs.html

summary: Scientists took another look at dinosaurs tibia and fibula bones, and noticed they lacked major articulating structures (like condyles- "a round bump on a bone where it forms a joint with another bone.) Due to the fact that the bones were missing condyles, the scientists concluded that "thick cartilage had formed these structures" and would have "added a significant amount of height to the dinosaur". Not only is this a scientific epiphany, it led to a deeper knowledge of why animals humans reptiles, etc have different amounts of cartilage. This discovery affects a lot of the characteristics of the dinosaurs; the way they are portrayed in museums are not accurate, due to the changes. Some dinosaurs previously thought to be around 42 feet tall, are given an 10% of height, for cartilage. Not only does the cartilage change the height, it could also change the posture and speed of the dinosaur, depending on how it affects the skeleton.

opinion: I think it is really cool, that scientists realized one small factor could make a huge impact. It impacted atleast three facors that I read about, the height, posture, and speed of a dinosaur. It also creates more of a mystery toward the dinosaurs for me, making me wonder what they actually looked like, how they lived, etc. I wonder if they are anything like what scientists portray. I think it is kind of funny scientists just now realized this, with all the study of animals and the human body, they never thought about the condyles for dinosaurs.