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简介:SecretsoftheDinosaurMummyconcerns“Leonardo,”aremarkablywell-preservedjuvenileBrachylophosaurusthatlived77millionyearsago,duringthelateCretaceousperiod.DiscoveredinMontanain2000,Leonardoisprettymuchintact,althoughtheprocessofpetrificationhasamplifiedhispresumedweightof2,000poundsintoafullsixtons. SecretshastheusualCGIinterludesofroamingherdsofBrachylophosauruses,butitsmainfocusisonthetechniquesusedtoexploreLeonardo’sviscera.Sincetherewasnoquestionofcrackingthefossilopentorevealitsinsides,theresearchteam–ledbyroguepaleontologistRobertBakker–hadtorelyonincreasinglypowerfulimagingtechniques. It’samusingtoseetheheavyarmamentthat’swheeledin:first,high-intensityX-rays,thenevenmorepowerfulgammarays,thenablastofcobaltradiationatNASA’sJohnsonSpaceCenter.Sowhatdothesescansaccomplish?Well,it’snotgivinganythingawaytorevealthat,yes,scientistshavebeenabletoobserveanatomicaldetailsinLeonardo’smummythathavenotyetbeenseeninanyotherdinosaurfossils.ItseemsthatLeonardohadabird-likecropinitsneck,amoreextensivebeakthanpreviouslyrealized,andanintricatearrayofdifferent-sizedscalesonitshead,back,underbellyandlegs. TheresearchteamwasalsoabletodeterminehowLeonardodied,andwhatheateinthelastfewdaysbeforehemethisdemise.Infact,thislastnuggetofinformationmaybethemostimportantofall,sincethepollenandleavesfoundinLeonardo’sgutprovidevaluableinformationabouttheecosystemofthewesternUnitedStatesinthelateCretaceous.…