Tag: animals & natural history

Birdosaurs: Investigating the Evolution of (some) Dinosaurs into Birds

Posted on by nickdupree

Part 4 of 4 of my D-cember: Dino-cember! series My Disclaimer: This post covers dinosaur evolution, and I apologize in advance for my (rather incomplete) knowledge of evolution and the evolutionary sciences, but I do know that, evolution, as phrased in Stephen Jay Gould’s essay “Scalia’s Misunderstanding” (p. 448 of the previously mentioned Bully for Brontosaurus) … Continue reading “Birdosaurs: Investigating the Evolution of (some) Dinosaurs into Birds”

Brontosaurus, you shan’t be forgotten

Posted on by nickdupree

Part 3 of 4 of my D-cember: Dino-cember! series I heard on NPR’s TED Radio Hour in an offhand comment in the first segment of a November episode called Misconceptions, that the brontosaurus name is no more, and that kids today learn that it’s an apatosaurus (older name, same dinosaur). Taken aback, I searched for … Continue reading “Brontosaurus, you shan’t be forgotten”

Tananim Gedolim: “great reptiles,” the dinosaurs in the Torah

Posted on by nickdupree

Originally written December the 5th, 2006, I’ve revised and re-named it to be part 2 of 4 of my D-cember: Dino-cember! series Tananim Gedolim, in English, “Great Reptiles” The Spiritual Can Illuminate The Scientific. The Scientific Can Illuminate The Spiritual. There has been (and will continue to be) debate about evolution and the age of … Continue reading “Tananim Gedolim: “great reptiles,” the dinosaurs in the Torah”

The Griffin Was Based On A Real Creature!

Posted on by nickdupree

UPDATE: Apparently the Top Search term leading people to my blog is still “griffin.”  If you’re one of the griffin-seekers, Welcome! feel free to browse, there are lots of posts here, lots of history essays, on everything from Chinese history to the weird story of top-hat gangsters taking over 1850s Baltimore. Without further ado, here … Continue reading “The Griffin Was Based On A Real Creature!”

Dolphin + False Killer Whale = Wholphin

Posted on by nickdupree

Sometimes a normal female bottlenose dolphin (typically 300-600 lbs.) mates with one of the biggest species in the dolphin family, the false killer whale (not really a whale, hence “false,” but being 4,000 lbs., the size of an orca, and having similar coloration, is easily mistaken as one from a distance). I’m talking about freaky-deeky … Continue reading “Dolphin + False Killer Whale = Wholphin”