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| Title | Gordon Bell |
| Digitaization Specification | Master file format: ? bytes, application/doc, Uncompressed, DOC, ; Checksum: ; Adobe Photoshop CS3 |
| Transcript | Office of University Relations SDSM& T News 501 E. St. Joseph Street • Rapid City, SD 57701- 3995 Phone: ( 605) 394- 6082/ 2554 • Fax: ( 605) 394- 6177 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 31, 1999 SDSM& T FACULTY MEMBER IS GETTING NATIONAL EXPOSURE Gordon L. Bell, Assistant Professor of Geology and Geological Engineering at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology ( SDSM& T), is attracting national attention for his research efforts at SDSM& T. Bell recently had an article he co- wrote appear in Nature, an international journal of science, and entertained a television crew from abc interested in his recent article as well as his discovery of a female mosasaur. " The origin of snake feeding" appeared in the August 12 issue of Nature. Bell co- wrote the article with Michael S. Y. Lee, Department of Zoology, University of Queensland, and Michael W. Caldwell, Paleobiology Division, Canadian Museum of Nature. The article discuses their new found evidence that mososaurs, prehistoric marine reptiles, share a common ancestry with modern snakes. The hypothesis was made based upon the two animals having flexible mandibular joints in their lower joints and ptergoid in their upper palette. The beginning of the article states that recent analysis " indicate that the nearest relatives of snakes are the Mosasauroidea ( here termed ‘ mosasaurs'), medium- sized to gigantic Cretaceous marine lizards." The publication of the article attracted the attention of the Discovery Channel and enticed abc, who produces a show titled ‘ Discovery News' for the Discovery Channel, to come and spotlight Bell's research. A television crew traveled to Rapid City the weekend of August 27- 29 to tape the segment. In addition to the recent article, the Discovery Channel was also interested in Bell's discovery three years ago of the first female mosasaur with fetus ever to be excavated. While working at a field dig site near Chamberlain, Bell and Dr. Amy Sheldon of the Graduate School of Physical Therapy at the University of Mobile ( Alabama) discovered the mosasaur. To date four fetus' have been identified, and there could be more. In the past when mosasaurs have been discovered, scientists were unable to determine the sex of the animal. Bell and Sheldon were able to classify their find as a female because they discovered it was carrying a fetus. For more information about Dr. Gordon Bell's research efforts, contact the Office of University Relations at ( 605) 394- 6082/ 2554. ++ 30++ ( I: univrel/ pressrel/ 0899 Gordon Bell fxd stwd) |
| Creator | South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. University Relations; |
| Subject | South Dakota School of Mines and Technology; South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. Museum of Geology; |
| Local Subject | South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
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| Digital Publisher | South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. Devereaux Library
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| Date | 1999-08-31 |
| Type | Text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Language | eng |
| Relation | Is part of Office of University Relations SDSM&T News Collection |
| Rights | The work from which this copy was made did not include a formal copyright notice. This work may be protected by U. S. copyright law (Title 17, United States Code), which governs reproduction, distribution, public display, and other uses of protected works. Uses may be allowed with permission from the copyright holder, if the copyright on the work has expired, or if the use is fair use or within another legal exemption. The user of this work is responsible for compliance with the law. |
| Submitting Institution | Devereaux Library. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. |
| Date Digital | 2009 |
| CONTENTdm number | 2707 |
| CONTENTdm file name | 2708.pdf |
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