Re: Choose how long you live as a hefty dinosaur

From: Robert J. Bradbury (bradbury@aeiveos.com)
Date: Fri Jul 26 2002 - 09:24:00 MDT


On Fri, 26 Jul 2002, Damien Broderick wrote:

> Which led me to wonder how long the big dinos lived. A quick google didn't
> get me very far, but
>
> http://www.vertpaleo.org/jvp/19-654-665.html
>
> So maybe max 15-20 years? (But a site for kids suggests 100+ years..)

I think its a pretty open question. Reptiles are a bit tricky
since they may have been cold blooded. We probably produce a
large chunk of our free radical damage simply maintaining body
temperature. Reptiles, esp. dinosaurs, may not have had that
problem to deal with. (Yes I know there is a debate as to
whether dinosaurs were cold/warm blooded).

I'd think the best examples one can cite now would be very
large aligators or perhaps Komodo Dragons. I think they
may live beyond 20 years.

I don't know if the bone layer (essentially growth ring)
techniques that they can apply to fish or perhaps whales
can also be applied to dinosaur bones but thats what one
would want to use.

Robert



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