China News Service, Chengdu, July 16th: Doctor Fossil restores "Asia's first dragon"
Author He Shaoqing Wang Peng Li Yunshu
"Dinosaurs have lived on the earth for 164 million years, and the evolutionary history of human beings is only millions of years, even if we start from Australopithecus. Although we can't accurately predict what direction the earth will develop in the future, through the The study of dinosaurs and other ancient creatures can help us understand the development and changes of the earth's historical period, so as to help us better understand the complex relationship between creatures and the environment, and help us better predict the future." Next to the Mamenxiosaurus fossil in Hechuan, Ouyang Hui, a professor of Chengdu University of Technology and an expert in paleontology and stratigraphy, sighed that whenever people enter the dinosaur exhibition, a "dialogue" between the modern earth master and the ancient earth overlord begins.
As one of the most famous Chinese dinosaurs in the world, the restored skeleton of Hechuan Mamenxiosaurus, the "treasure of the town hall" of the Chengdu University of Technology Museum, is about 24 meters long and 3.5 meters high at the shoulder.
In 2021, the Chengdu University of Technology Museum conducted a "physical examination" of the Hechuan Mamenxiosaurus fossils, and started major repairs for the phenomenon of fractured bones, corrosion of steel brackets, and inaccurate postures.
Fossil doctor restores dinosaur fossils.
Photo by Zhang Lang
Different from the "quiet time" that restores cultural relics with embroidery, the dinosaur fossil restoration site looks rough and full.
Before entering the repair center, the roar of the machine was first heard.
In the dusty room, some fossil restorers held pneumatic polishing pens to carefully "cut out" the remaining surrounding rock on the fossil bones. Draw holes on the steel beams to prepare for fixing the bone fossils.
The dinosaur fossil restoration site looks rough and full.
Photo by Zhang Lang
The restoration and installation of dinosaur fossils will go through multiple steps such as removing the residual surrounding rock on the fossils, bonding the broken fossils, filling the fossils with gypsum, reinforcing the fossils with iron pieces, and welding metal fasteners to the steel beams to fix the fossils.
As a large sauropod dinosaur fossil, the restoration of the Hechuan Mamenchisaurus specimen is huge, and this is the first baptism it has experienced since it was first installed in 1965.
Fossil doctor restores dinosaur fossils.
Photo by Zhang Lang
"Although the spine of Hechuan Mamenchisaurus was found intact, the skull and forelimbs were missing." Ouyang Hui discovered the complete skeleton of Mamenchisaurus including the skull twice in the 1980s and 1990s.
He introduced that earlier, due to the limited understanding of large sauropod dinosaurs in China, when the Hechuan Mamenxiosaurus fossil was first installed in Beijing in 1965, the father of Chinese dinosaur research, Mr. Yang Zhongjian, had to install it A replica of the North American Diplodocus skull.
With the discovery of new fossils, people's understanding of Mamenchiosaurus deepened, and researchers replaced it with the correct skull that belonged to it.
Fossil doctor restores dinosaur fossils.
Photo by Zhang Lang
In addition to increasing the number of tail vertebrae for Hechuan Mamenxisaurus based on new fossil discoveries, the overhaul of Hechuan Mamenxisaurus this time also adjusted its posture.
"The long neck of Mamenchiosaurus is composed of 19 long cervical vertebrae, and the number of cervical vertebrae is the largest among known dinosaurs. In our popular science books in the past, it was drawn like a giraffe with its neck raised high and eating tall trees." Ouyang Hui said In the past, when I sorted out the fossil materials of Mamenchiosaurus, I found that the neck ribs of Mamenchiosaurus extended parallel to the cervical vertebrae, which played a role in strengthening its long neck, and also limited the range of motion of the neck and could not bend freely. , it can only be extended obliquely at a low and gentle angle, otherwise, the long neck ribs may pierce its neck.
Fossil doctor restores dinosaur fossils.
Photo by Zhang Lang
Dinosaur mounting needs to restore the real scene of dinosaur life to the greatest extent. According to the latest scientific research results, dinosaur restorers from Chengdu University of Technology re-adjusted the angle of the long neck of Hechuan Mamenxisaurus and erected its scapula.
In addition, the restorers also carried out a weatherproof treatment on the surface and coated it with a protective agent that can block air and moisture.
After two years of restoration, Hechuan Mamen Xilong finally reappeared its perfect style after 150 million years of its life.
Fossil doctor restores dinosaur fossils.
Photo by Zhang Lang
"In the past 20 years, Chinese researchers have discovered a larger Sino-Canadian Mamenxisaurus in Xinjiang, and a giant Ruyangosaurus restored to a length of 38.1 meters has been found in Henan, but Hechuan Mamenxisaurus is still known. The largest of the complete dinosaurs in Asia." Ouyang Hui revealed that the restored Hechuan Mamenxisaurus fossil has been moved into the newly-built Chengdu Museum of Natural History (Chengdu University of Technology Museum), and is still in the final adjustment of the exhibition. In addition to watching this famous "star" dinosaur, you can also use AR technology and holographic projection to experience the birth of the earth, geological changes, and the diversity of ancient creatures.
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