Tarbosaurus is a genus of tyrannosaurid theropod dinosaur that
flourished in Asia between 70 and 65 million years ago, at the end of
the Late Cretaceous Period. Fossils have been recovered in Mongolia
with more fragmentary remains found further afield in parts of China.
Some experts contend that this species is actually an Asian
representative of the North American genus Tyrannosaurus; if true, this
would invalidate the genus Tarbosaurus altogether. Like most known
tyrannosaurids, Tarbosaurus was a large bipedal predator, weighing more
than a ton and equipped with dozens of large, sharp teeth. It had a
unique locking mechanism in its lower jaw and the smallest forelimbs
relative to body size of all tyrannosaurids, renowned for their
disproportionately tiny, two-fingered forelimbs. Tarbosaurus lived in a
humid floodplain criss-crossed by river channels. In this environment,
it was an apex predator at the top of the food chain, probably preying
on other large dinosaurs like the hadrosaur Saurolophus or the sauropod
Nemegtosaurus. Tarbosaurus is very well-represented in the fossil
record, known from dozens of specimens, including several complete
skulls and skeletons. These remains have allowed scientific studies
focusing on its phylogeny, skull mechanics, and brain structure.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarbosaurus>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1775:
American Revolution: Patrick Henry made his "Give me Liberty, or give
me Death!" speech to the Virginia House of Burgesses, urging the
legislature to take military action against the British Empire.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Give_me_Liberty%2C_or_give_me_Death%21>
1940:
Pakistan Movement: During its three-day general session, the Muslim
League drafted the Lahore Resolution, calling for greater autonomy in
British India.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lahore_Resolution>
1983:
The initial proposal to develop the Strategic Defense Initiative, a
ground-based and space-based system to protect the United States from
attack by strategic nuclear ballistic missiles, was released.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_Defense_Initiative>
1996:
Lee Teng-hui was elected President of the Republic of China in the
first direct presidential election in Taiwan.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Teng-hui>
2007:
Iranian military personnel seized 15 British Royal Navy personnel from
HMS Cornwall, claiming that the British ship sailed into Iran's
territorial waters.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Iranian_seizure_of_Royal_Navy_personnel>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
furlough (n):
(US) A leave of absence or vacation, especially one granted to a member
of the armed forces, or to a prisoner
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/furlough>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
I believe that none can "save" his fellow man by making a choice for
him. To help him, he can indicate the possible alternatives, with
sincerity and love, without being sentimental and without illusion. The
knowledge and awareness of the freeing alternatives can reawaken in an
individual all his hidden energies and put him on the path to choosing
respect for "life" instead of for "death."
--Erich Fromm
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Erich_Fromm>
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