A brand new tv documentary that includes Sir David Attenborough is because of be proven on the BBC tomorrow (New Yr’s Day). Entitled “Attenborough and the Big Sea Monster”, it tells the story of the excavation of an enormous pliosaur cranium from the Dorset coast.
Image credit score: All the things Dinosaur
The picture (above) reveals a reproduction of a pliosaur on show on the Bristol Museum and Artwork Gallery. Scientists from Bristol College have been concerned within the research of this pliosaur cranium. The cranium possible represents a brand new genus of pliosaur, and at round ten metres lengthy it was a monster!
The Big Pliosaur Cranium
Such is the preservation of the cranium, that though crushed the bones stay in articulation. An correct three-dimensional picture of the fossil could possibly be produced. From these photographs a three-dimensional mannequin of the cranium was made. Professor Emily Rayfield (College of Bristol) and professional in jaw biomechanics was in a position to make use of this mannequin to estimate the chew pressure of this apex predator.
Primarily based on scaling up chew pressure calculations from Saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus), a biteforce of round 32,000 newtons was calculated for the pliosaur. Though there’s a margin of error to bear in mind with these calculations, the end result represents the very best chew pressure estimated for a marine animal residing or extinct.
The movie follows Sir David Attenborough as he investigates the invention of a lifetime. Sir David joins two of Britain’s most intrepid fossil hunters, Steve Etches and Chris Moore, as they face a race towards time to excavate the fossil materials from its precarious place midway up a cliff close to Kimmeridge Bay.
“Attenborough and the Big Sea Monster” is because of be proven on BBC1 at 8pm on January 1st (2024).
The picture (above) reveals a reproduction of a Pliosaurus marine reptile. It’s comparable in look to the CGI pliosaur photographs revealed within the documentary. The determine comes from the CollectA Deluxe vary.
To view this vary of scale prehistoric animal figures and fashions: CollectA Deluxe Prehistoric Life Fashions.