A unique and spectacular fossil might be lost to science unless it comes into public ownership. Daily Mail takes up the story:
Given that they died in combat, it seems almost appropriate that auctioneers plan to make a killing from these two dinosaurs.
Described as ‘possibly the most amazing fossil in the world’, the bones of the dinosaurs who fought to the death 65million years ago are expected to fetch a record-breaking £6million at auction in November.
They were unearthed in Montana in 2006 and depict a ‘sensational prehistoric death match between predator and prey’.
The predator nanotyrannus, a 24ft-long cousin of the tyrannosaurus rex, left teeth embedded in the neck of a plant-eating triceratops, who in turn left its opponent with a large dent in its skull. It is thought the pair fought before being buried by an earthquake.
The Bonham’s auction house in New York describes the fossil as ‘breathtaking’ and adds: ‘The remarkable state of the skeletons indicates the pair was buried very shortly after the fatal struggle.’
Manchester University palaeontologist Philip Manning said the lot was ‘possibly the most amazing fossil in the world’.
He added: ‘It was a bad day for both of them. If you’re cornered by a top predator you will do everything you can to stop yourself being eaten. You will fight.’
Speaking at the British Science Festival in Newcastle, he called on museums to pool their resources to buy the fossil, which could otherwise be locked in a private collection.
He said: ‘This fossil would make the centrepiece of any museum and really deserves a very public home.’
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2416212/Locked-combat-predator-prey-65million-years-ago-sold-record-breaking-6million.html#ixzz2eYU7TZNU
