No time at the moment to complete anything for the blog, dammit. So only time for a picture of the day. Inspired by recent comments made here about the whereabouts of the Krayt dragon skeleton from Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Matt Wedel has done a great job of both identifying the skeleton, and of tracking down its whereabouts. As he explains, palaeontologists have actually located the skeleton before (David Reynolds and Michael Ryan did so in 1995), and it was also 're-discovered' by the Lucasfilm people during the making of Episode II: The Clone Wars. Check out Matt's article on SV-POW! here.
Leaving a giant fibreglass skeleton in the Tunisian desert once you're done with it seems an awful lot like littering on a grotesque scale, but then again it's pretty much the same sort of thing that some people regard as 'environmental art'. God knows that I saw enough litter scattered about the countryside in Morocco: millions upon millions of plastic bags, and no replica sauropod skeletons.
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Anyone read Terryl Whitlatch's book, "The Wildlife of Star Wars"? It has some gorgeous artwork in it, and she provides some creative information on the ecology and biology of the fanciful creatures.
In reply to Kevin: I have that book, I almost emptied my bowels when I saw it.
I've never read it myself, and I guess I wouldn't like it anyway, from what I've seen from Wookiepedia. I understand if the animals resemble Earth's ones, but, quite honestly, if so then they shouldn't be looking as if they were asking for a punch. Plus, silicon based lifeforms are less likely than amnonia made ones.
I wonder what will future sophonts thing of the skeleton...
I really like Whitlatch's The Wildlife of Star Wars and mean to buy a copy (Whitlatch is also responsible for the beautiful The Katurran Odyssey: see the website). Having said that: some of the creatures are plain improbable (like the goffbird or titavian, with its 100 m wingspan), and of course the 'problem' with Star Wars creatures in general is that they're decidedly terrestrial, with everything looking like an arthropod, fish, amphibian, reptile, mammal etc. Of course that's not Whitlatch's fault: it's a fundamental character of the Star Wars universe.
PS - WARNING: do not ever visit Wookieepedia. You may lose valuable hours of your life.
Too bad's already too late for me. Oh well, at least its not late for other people
Well, it truly is a small world. Dr. Ryan is based out of the rich fossil lands of the Milk River area here in my home Province. I've had the privilege of hearing him interviewed on several topics but I didn't know that the whole Krayt dragon thing started with him. That is very, VERY cool.
If any of you have not been to the Tyrell Museum or Dinosaur Provincial Park, Alberta, Canada, put it on your bucket list right now. ;)
Ugh, I said Milk River. I meant the Red Deer River. The milk river region is home of another amazing site: Writing On Stone Provincial Park, but that's another story. ;)
It goes without saying that the Milk River Formation is the home of Ceratops... :-}
Ah, Brontosaurus rex! Nearly didn't recognise it without a load of nannies climbing all over it!
I love One Of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing!
Wait a minute: the pointy-toothed skull of the Krayt dragon really does look very similar to the skull of the dinosaur from One of Our Dinosaurs is Missing (as Simon has been saying all along).
Are the actually the same thing??
I do believe they are one and the same.
In reply to Kevin and to Tim:
You should look at an other gorgeous book : The world of Kong by weta workshops. worth the while; i am not sure about the money.