Researchers find 7-foot-long, 3,000-pound triceratops skull in South Dakota

[left-of-center2012]

SOUTH DAKOTA, USA — Out in the Badlands of South Dakota, a group of undergraduate researchers from Westminster College discovered the skull of a 7-foot-long triceratops and brought it back to their campus. Because of the COIVD-19 pandemic, the annual dig, which is offered as course credit at the college, was not offered. But that didn't stop students from signing up for the popular dig.

Three current students and four alumni joined David Schmidt, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Geology and Environmental Science for his seventh Westminster fossil expedition at the Grand River National Grassland. While out on site, the group was only expecting to find fragments of dinosaur bones as well as the occasional complete bone. But a rancher discovered something sticking out of the ground back in the summer of 2019. The rancher contacted the National Forrest Service, who got in touch with Schmidt to check out findings.

Once they dug up the 3,000-pound skull, the team named it "Shady" after nearby town Shadehill. Shady is now back at Westminster College, in Fulton, Missouri, where it is being stored in a safe location until funds can be raised for a proper display. The other bones that were left behind in South Dakota will be dug up next summer.

The group of eight was able to follow coronavirus safety guidelines by camping outside over the two-month dig.

https://www.cbs8.com/article/life/animals/triceratops-skull-south-daokta/67-84d9488b-50ba-4eaa-9ea5-01605355ad08

[Nevilledog]

1. That's just God testing the true believers. Earth is only 6000 yrs old dontchaknow

[SergeStorms]

36. Exactly.

True believers won't fall for this trap. Ken Ham probably wants it destroyed though. Either that or he'll want to saddle it up for the kids to ride. Speaking of Ham, I wonder how that "creation museum" of his is doing during the corona virus pandemic? That place has to be failing on a biblical scale right now.

[soothsayer]

2. Wow and teens finding those ancient coins in Israel

Cool

[CatWoman]

9. got a link to that story, Sooth?

thanks

[soothsayer]

17. Yup! It's also somewhere here on DU

Teens find treasure trove of ancient pure gold coins in Israel
By Tamar Lapin August 24, 2020 | 5:52pm |

https://nypost.com/2020/08/24/teens-find-treasure-trove-of-1100-year-old-pure-gold-coins-in-israel/

Or
https://www.cnn.com/style/article/gold-coins-found-israel-scli-intl/index.html

[CatWoman]

25. thanks much

I just love stories like this

[csziggy]

3. Is the skull 7 foot long or is the triceratops 7 foot long?

The headline says "7-foot-long, 3,000-pound triceratops skull" but the article says "the skull of a 7-foot-long triceratops" - which is it? I can't tell from the photo accompanying the article!

Cool find even if the writer is an idiot.

[JHB]

5. For a triceratops, it'll be the skull that's 7 feet

The whole beast would have been about 25-30 feet long.

[csziggy]

6. Unless it was a baby triceratops!

I know - the sloppy writing just got to me.

[left-of-center2012]

7. From the photo ...

It's pretty obvious that the skull is 7 feet in length,
comparing it to the size of the people around it.

[csziggy]

10. I just hate the sloppy writing!

It's not that hard to get things stated correctly.

[left-of-center2012]

14. ...

[csziggy]

18. LOL! nt

[chowder66]

31. I am right with you. I had this problem yesterday and then again with this article.

But yes, it must be a 7 foot skull and a mistake about the size of the beastie.

[left-of-center2012]

11. Send questions and insults to ...

https://www.cbs8.com/contact-us

[csziggy]

16. Done! nt

[Hekate]

4. That's the thrill of a lifetime for those students!

Very cool

[malaise]

8. Fabulous but who does the proof-reading at CBS

Because of the COIVD-19

the National Forrest Service,

[louis-t]

29. Forrest Whitaker or Forrest Gump?

[JHB]

32. Tucker. I mean, he's in uniform...

[malaise]

35. Hehehehee

[blaze]

12. Here's an article (and audio) from StLouis Public Radio (and more pics)

https://news.stlpublicradio.org/health-science-environment/2020-08-17/i-was-in-denial-missouri-paleontologist-unearths-rare-triceratops-skull

[brooklynite]

13. Humans at the level of a dinosaur footprint? They DID co-exist!!!!!

[KY_EnviroGuy]

15. Some more detail from AP article.....

Triceratops skull excavated in South Dakota

Link: https://apnews.com/203299b6398d798f25b8fcfe057f01dc

Text (short article):

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — A seven-foot-long triceratops skull has been unearthed in South Dakota, a Missouri college has announced.

A geology professor and students from Westminster College were excavating fossil remains last year at the Grand River National Grassland when they were alerted that a rancher had discovered something unusual poking out of the earth. The group found it was the tip of a triceratops horn, leading them to believe it could lead to a significant excavation. The college’s expeditions usually find just fragments of dinosaur bones.

The professor returned with students and alumni this summer, and they unearthed a skull that weighed 3,000 pounds (1,360 kilograms).

The skull was transported back to Missouri, where Westminster College is hoping to restore it.

(end)

It's great the rancher had the forethought to call in some experts. He must be accustomed to such finds in that area.

KY

[left-of-center2012]

19. Yep

That's already covered in the OP above.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

22. Posted that to clarify the contradiction between OP title and text....

regarding whether the skull or entire animal was 7-ft.

See Post #3 and I see JHB has responded as well. "The whole beast would have been about 25-30 feet long."

KY

[left-of-center2012]

24. Pretty clear it's the skull

there's a photo.

[BlueDawn]

20. How fascinating!

A 3,000 pound skull.....wow!

I am fascinated by dinosaurs. Triceratops were my favorite as a child. I spent so much time daydreaming when I was a little girl about what it must have been like to have lived while dinosaurs were alive.

I am loving this story. Thank you!

[Faux pas]

21. ...

and

[dutch777]

23. So when Trump went to Mt Rushmore, he wasn't the only dinosaur in the state!

[Disaffected]

26. Probably fell off his Harley

on the way to Sturgis.

[Karadeniz]

27. The ancient Greeks would find such big bones. They reasoned that life must be getting smaller.

[BHDem53]

28. Grand River National Grassland is actually

in the northwestern part of SD. It is mostly rolling prairie and butte country. The Badlands is in the southwestern part of SD.

[Fla Dem]

30. Wow, just Wow!!!!

[soldierant]

33. At risk of being Debbie Downer,

is the dig on Native American land?

[octoberlib]

34. I love this stuff. Thanks for posting.

[FailureToCommunicate]

37. Very cool for those students! And Westminster was my father's alma mater.