The "Chicken" Tandoori upon which Dreams are Founded

[dragon wench]

T. rex thigh reveals chicken family ties

Story Highlights
• Chickens are distant cousins of the T. rex, researchers say
• Scientists studied protein from 68 million-year-old bone
• 'First molecular proof' of bird-dinosaur link

CHICAGO, Illinois (Reuters) -- Tiny bits of protein extracted from a 68-million-year-old dinosaur bone have given scientists the first genetic proof that the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex is a distant cousin to the modern chicken.

"It's the first molecular evidence of this link between birds and dinosaurs," said John Asara, a Harvard Medical School researcher, whose results were published in Friday's edition of the journal Science.

Scientists have long suspected that birds evolved from dinosaurs based on a study of dinosaur bones, but until recently, no soft tissue had survived to confirm the link.

That all changed in 2005 when Mary Higby Schweitzer of North Carolina State University reported finding soft tissue, including blood vessels and cells, in a T. rex bone dug out of sandstone from the fossil-rich Hell Creek Formation in Montana.

Schweitzer, in another study appearing in this week's issue of Science, found that extracts of T. rex bone reacted with antibodies to chicken collagen, further suggesting the presence of birdlike protein in dinosaur bones.

For his study, Asara used a highly sensitive technology called mass spectrometry to determine the chemical makeup of bone fragments provided by Schweitzer and her team.

He first had to purify the bone extract, which came in the form of a gritty brown powder that remained after minerals were extracted. Asara then broke it down into peptide fragments, little bits of proteins, isolated into the amino acid sequences that make them up.

"It was very tough to get anything," he said in a telephone interview. He wound up with seven separate strands of amino acid, five of which were a particular class of collagen, a fibrous protein found in bone.

Next, Asara had to interpret the sequences. He compared his results to collagen data from living animals. Most matched collagen from chickens, while others matched a newt and frog.

"Based on all of the genomic information we have available today, it appears these sequences are closer to birds or chickens than anything else," Asara said.

Ultimately, scientists had hoped to find genetic material that was unique to the T. rex. That was not possible with the tiny T. rex sample.

"We never found unique T. rex tags," he said.

In a similar study of mastodon bones supplied by Schweitzer, Asara had more luck.

He compared the samples to a database of existing amino acid sequences and against a theoretical set of mastodon sequences and found a total of 78 peptides, including four unique sequences.

Still, Asara said the T. rex protein sequence was useful in providing clues about the evolution of the species.

The researchers said the results may change the way that people think about fossil preservation.

"The fact that we are getting proteins is very exciting," said paleontologist Jack Horner, who dug up the T. rex in 2003 and is co-author of the paper with Schweitzer.

Horner said paleontologists will need to dig deeper for specimens that have not been corrupted by ground water and bacteria.

"I think we are going to find that many specimens are like it. It will be a matter of paleontologists getting into sites that are not necessarily easy," he told reporters in a telephone briefing.

Sorry about the title...couldn't resist...

[BlueSky]

Ugh, said the caveman...

tastes just like chicken......

[dragon wench]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueSky Ugh, said the caveman... tastes just like chicken......

lmao, that was roughly my reaction when I first read the story

Can you just imagine, "Hey Grog, these are fine Rex Wings you have here.... I just love these small snacks you always prepare."

[fable]

Wow. Imagine the kind of Indian buffet you could make out of that.

[BlueSky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fable Wow. Imagine the kind of Indian buffet you could make out of that.

Imagine the amount of spice and seaasoning needed....
enough for family and friends.....
so easy a caveman could do it....

[Moonbiter]

Kentucky Fried T-Rex... A large bucket, please! I mean, both frog and snake, especially snake, tastes like chicken, so why not?

[Chimaera182]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moonbiter Kentucky Fried T-Rex... A large bucket, please!

Mmmmm. T-Rex drumsticks in the traditional KFC fried skin. That is just oh so tasty. Of course, I'd probably just tear the skin right off, eat it, and leave the rest for my hapless co-diners.

[Galuf the Dwarf]

I remember seeing it mentioned on various tv programs, including an episode of Alton Brown's cooking show "Good Eats" about fried chicken (utilizing a miniature model of a T-Rex skeleton) on the relation between chickens and dinosaurs.

To me, it's a notion that's new, but probably confirmed.

[Fiberfar]

Wow, talk about evolution going the wrong way... I bet it had something to do with that large rock hitting earth some time ago

[dragon wench]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fiberfar Wow, talk about evolution going the wrong way... I bet it had something to do with that large rock hitting earth some time ago

Indeed yes... from the mighty T Rex... to the... chicken...

Of course... your theory about the rock probably explains certain things about hominid evolution too...


EDIT
I have another theory actually...
You see, it seems probable that the T Rex is also related to the Turkey... And naturally every good Cave family celebrated Christmas and Thanksgiving.... Hence the extinction of said beast

[Fiberfar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dragon wench Indeed yes... from the mighty T Rex... to the... chicken... Of course... your theory about the rock probably explains certain things about hominid evolution too...

I wonder if the T Rex would fall asleep if you put a paper bag over it's head, like the chickens do

Ah yes, the rock... This is a fairly new and unknown theory

[dragon wench]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fiberfar I wonder if the T Rex would fall asleep if you put a paper bag over it's head, like the chickens do

See my above edit... It's all beginning to come together now...

Quote:

Ah yes, the rock... This is a fairly new and unknown theory

Well hey, I figure something must have happened to throw a spanner in the works of real human progress, that theory makes as much sense as anything

[Fiberfar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dragon wench I have another theory actually... You see, it seems probable that the T Rex is also related to the Turkey... And naturally every good Cave family celebrated Christmas and Thanksgiving.... Hence the extinction of said beast

What's the chance that the chickens actually are cloaked T Rexes (Or would that be T Rexs? )

Mighty wizards (I can't stand sorcerers) that have cloaked themselves with powerful yet useless magics. After all, we do EAT the chickens

[dragon wench]

I'm beginning to think I should have called this thread:
"Theories on Evolution According to the Minds of SYM"

Forget about debates over flying spaghetti monsters, and intelligent design. Instead come to SYM where you shall discover enlightenment of a very special kind.

[Fiberfar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dragon wench I'm beginning to think I should have called this thread: "Theories on Evolution According to the Minds of SYM" Forget about debates over flying spaghetti monsters

Hm.... The Flying spaghetti monster is a participant in the WAR TO END ALL WARS!
flying spaghetti monsters vs. The Invisible Pink Unicorn