LU Enrolls New Student: TheDinosaur

The day began at 6 a.m., and no one knew exactly what toexpect. It would be a hot and dirty day. Another snake might slitheracrosstherocks,ortheymighthaveto kill a scorpion. However, the trials they encountered were worth thesightofanother dinosaur bone buried inthe dirt.

Prof. James Hall, Arlton Murray, and threeLU studentsspenttwo months oftheir summer inGrand Junction, Colorado, excavating anAllosaurus dinosaur.

Every day, they were faced with the tedious task ofbrushing away dirt to uncover theblack remains. Hall, theassociate director of Liberty's Center for Creation Studies, said, "The bones are about 4800 yearsold. An evolutionist, however,would estimate it atabout 130 millionyears."

Originally,theadult Allosaurus would have stood 15feettallandabout 30-40feet long. They believetohave found 85percent of the dinosaur,but Murray, the curatorof theCreationScienceMuseum,saidthedino saur had been swirled around until his bones were allmixed up. This could have taken place during the Great Flood.

Students, Jarred Bryson, David King and Jonathan DeBoe, had their first exposure to paleontology on this trip. They picked up the techniques quickly.

Murray said it willtakeabouttwo anda half years to prepare thedinosaur for exhibit. He has worked with fossilsanddinosaurs for 45years,27ofwhich werespent working for the Smithsonian Institute.

Thispastyear, histime was spentinthe museum uncovering the bones. As he brushed away thedirt covering aparched tooth, he whispered, "This is thefirst time human eye has ever seenthis."

When thefossil iscomplete, itwill be laidonitssideinaninsutorexhibit. Thiswil be areplication ofthe actualexcavation site inwhich they found the bones.

MelanieBeroth