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Pocono News Section
Sunbury Couple Brings Dinosaur to Life
Sunbury Couple Brings Dinosaur to Life - Friday, May 30, 2008 at 5:08PM EST
Reported by: Jeremy Deebel
Friday, May 30, 2008 @ 05:08pm EST
Sunbury, Northumberland County-
Dinosaurs have been extinct for millions of years. But a paleontologist from Central Pennsylvania has brought hundreds of them back to life through skeletal re-construction. And his latest piece of work is one-of-a-kind.
In a quiet, century-old barn in Sunbury, sits a piece of history 140 million years in the making.
Paleontologist Barry James, his wife April, and a team of helpers assembled this 76-foot-long, 10,000 pound brontosaurus fossil. They cleaned and prepared the bones, glued them together, and mounted the massive dinosaur on a metal frame.
"It's thrilling. We basically are bringing it back to life," April James explained.
There are a handful of other brontosaurus fossils in the world, but none that can match this one. Until now, the few brontosaurus fossils in the world have been displayed with the skull of other, similar dinosaurs.
Barry James noted, "The unique thing about this dinosaur when it was first found 130 years ago, they've never found a skull until now. So here, finally, 130 years later the very first skull from this animal is found with the skeleton."
Appropriately named Einstein, 85% of the brontosaurus skeleton is real bone. It was found at a dig site in Wyoming, before the James' company, "Prehistoric Journeys," pieced it together.
Barry and April say they couldn't have completed the project without plenty of support from the community. "We've had a lot of local residents participate with us, and work with us to bring this project to fruition," April added.
State Representative Merle Phillips even saw fit to present the James' with a State Resolution, commending them for bringing such a historically and scientifically significant find to Sunbury.
Barry James said, "We have workers that help us, but it's a community effort on this project that really came together, and that's why it's here in Sunbury."
Up next for this big guy they call Einstein is a three month tour across Europe--where Barry and April James hope he will provide inspiration to millions.
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