TEDYouth 2014
Nizar Ibrahim: How we unearthed the Spinosaurus
Nizar Ibrahim: 我们是如何挖掘出棘龙的
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棘龙生活于9700万年前，长达50英尺，善于在水中捕获猎物，是“久远时代的大恐龙”。考古学家 Nizar Ibrahim 和他的同事们在撒哈拉沙漠的悬崖里挖掘出了新的化石，帮助我们认识了迄今为止（人类发掘的）第一种能够在水里游泳的恐龙——可能也是世界上最大的肉食性恐龙。
Nizar Ibrahim - Paleontologist
Nizar Ibrahim scours Northern Africa for clues to what things were like there in the Cretaceous period. A 2015 TED Fellow, he has spearheaded the recent search for the semi-aquatic dinosaur Spinosaurus. Full bio
Nizar Ibrahim scours Northern Africa for clues to what things were like there in the Cretaceous period. A 2015 TED Fellow, he has spearheaded the recent search for the semi-aquatic dinosaur Spinosaurus. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
These dragons from deep time
are incredible creatures.
are incredible creatures.
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远古时代的恐龙是不可思议的物种。
它们非常的奇特,
00:17
They're bizzarre,
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00:19
they're beautiful,
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也非常的壮观，
00:20
and there's very little
we know about them.
we know about them.
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而我们对它们的了解还非常有限。
00:23
These thoughts were going
through my head
through my head
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在我第一次拿到一本介绍恐龙的书，
00:26
when I looked at the pages of
my first dinosaur book.
my first dinosaur book.
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这些念头就已经开始在我的脑海中浮现。
00:30
I was about five years old at the time,
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那个时候我大概只有5岁，
00:33
and I decided there and then
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我当时就下定决心
00:35
that I would become a paleontologist.
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要做一名古生物学家。
00:37
Paleontology allowed me
to combine my love for animals
to combine my love for animals
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研究古生物学不仅满足了
我对远古动物的好奇心，
我对远古动物的好奇心，
00:41
with my desire to travel to
far-flung corners of the world.
far-flung corners of the world.
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也让我能够在世界上各个
广袤的角落间游历。
广袤的角落间游历。
00:45
And now, a few years later,
I've led several expeditions
I've led several expeditions
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目前我已经进行了多年的相关研究，
也多次带领考古队探索了
也多次带领考古队探索了
00:48
to the ultimate far-flung corner
on this planet, the Sahara.
on this planet, the Sahara.
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地球上最古老的辽阔之地，
撒哈拉沙漠。
撒哈拉沙漠。
00:54
I've worked in the Sahara because
I've been on a quest
I've been on a quest
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之所以选择撒哈拉沙漠，
是因为我最近在探寻，
是因为我最近在探寻，
00:58
to uncover new remains of
a bizarre, giant predatory dinosaur
a bizarre, giant predatory dinosaur
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希望能够找到一种奇特、
巨大的肉食性恐龙，
巨大的肉食性恐龙，
01:03
called Spinosaurus.
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叫做“棘龙”。
01:06
A few bones of this animal
have been found
have been found
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一百多年前，一位德国古生物学家
01:09
in the deserts of Egypt
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在埃及境内的沙漠
01:11
and were described about 100 years ago
by a German paleontologist.
by a German paleontologist.
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发现了少量棘龙的骨骼化石。
01:16
Unfortunately, all his Spinosaurus bones
were destroyed in World War II.
were destroyed in World War II.
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非常可惜，所有的化石
都在二战中被毁掉了。
都在二战中被毁掉了。
01:21
So all we're left with are just
a few drawings and notes.
a few drawings and notes.
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所以我们现在能找到的资料
就只有一些笔记和（骨头的）素描。
就只有一些笔记和（骨头的）素描。
01:25
From these drawings,
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通过这些素描，
01:27
we know that this creature, which lived
about 100 million years ago,
about 100 million years ago,
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我们发现这种生活在
一千万年前的生物
一千万年前的生物
01:30
was very big,
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体型非常的庞大，
它们的背上有高耸的脊椎，
形成了一条巨大的尾巴，
形成了一条巨大的尾巴，
01:32
it had tall spines on its back,
forming a magnificent sail,
forming a magnificent sail,
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01:35
and it had long, slender jaws,
a bit like a crocodile,
a bit like a crocodile,
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下巴非常的细长，
像是鳄鱼的嘴一样，
像是鳄鱼的嘴一样，
01:41
with conical teeth,
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牙齿是圆锥型的，
01:43
that may have been used
to catch slippery prey, like fish.
to catch slippery prey, like fish.
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这可能是用来捕食
很滑的食物，例如鱼类。
很滑的食物，例如鱼类。
01:48
But that was pretty much
all we knew
all we knew
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但是在接下来的一百年中，
01:50
about this animal for the next 100 years.
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基本上就没有任何新的发现了。
01:58
My fieldwork took me to the border region
between Morocco and Algeria,
between Morocco and Algeria,
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我们在摩洛哥和阿尔及利亚交界附近，
02:03
a place called the Kem Kem.
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一处叫卡玛卡玛的地方
进行了实地考察。
进行了实地考察。
02:05
It's a difficult place to work in.
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在这种地方工作很艰苦。
02:08
You have to deal with sandstorms
and snakes and scorpions,
and snakes and scorpions,
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你需要应对沙尘暴，蛇，蝎子等等，
02:11
and it's very difficult to find
good fossils there.
good fossils there.
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而要找到保存较好的化石也很难。
02:15
But our hard work paid off.
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好在我们的努力没有白费。
02:17
We discovered many incredible specimens.
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我们发现了很多不可思议的物种。
02:20
There's the largest dinosaur bone
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这是目前为止
02:21
that had ever been found
in this part of the Sahara.
in this part of the Sahara.
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在撒哈拉发现的最大的恐龙骨骼。
我们发现了巨型食肉恐龙，
02:25
We found remains of giant
predatory dinosaurs,
predatory dinosaurs,
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02:28
medium-sized predatory dinosaurs,
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中等大小的食肉恐龙，
02:31
and seven or eight different kinds
of crocodile-like hunters.
of crocodile-like hunters.
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以及7到8种不同类型的鳄鱼嘴型的恐龙。
02:37
These fossils were deposited
in a river system.
in a river system.
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这些化石堆积在一个河流底部的淤泥中。
02:40
The river system was also home
to a giant, car-sized coelacanth,
to a giant, car-sized coelacanth,
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在这条水系里也埋藏着
有汽车那么大的巨型腔棘鱼，
有汽车那么大的巨型腔棘鱼，
02:44
a monster sawfish,
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怪兽一样的锯鲛（鱼），
02:47
and the skies over the river system
were filled with pterosaurs,
were filled with pterosaurs,
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河流的上空盘旋着大量的热翼龙，
02:51
flying reptiles.
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一种会飞的爬行动物。
02:53
It was a pretty dangerous place,
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毫无疑问这是个非常危险的地方，
02:55
not the kind of place where you'd want
to travel to if you had a time machine.
to travel to if you had a time machine.
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这可不是一个你会想要乘坐
时光机参观猎奇的好去处。
时光机参观猎奇的好去处。
03:00
So we're finding all these
incredible fossils of animals
incredible fossils of animals
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我们找到了这么多的不可思议的动物，
03:03
that lived alongside Spinosaurus,
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这些生物都生活在棘龙的周围，
03:05
but Spinosaurus itself proved
to be very elusive.
to be very elusive.
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但是我们一直追寻的棘龙，
其踪迹还是难以琢磨。
其踪迹还是难以琢磨。
03:08
We were just finding bits and pieces
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我们只找到它的一些化石碎片，
03:10
and I was hoping that we'd find
a partial skeleton at some point.
a partial skeleton at some point.
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我一直希望有一天能够
找到一些大的骨架。
找到一些大的骨架。
03:15
Finally, very recently,
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终于，在最近，
03:17
we were able to track down a dig site
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我们成功的找到了一个
当地化石勘探者挖掘的大坑，
当地化石勘探者挖掘的大坑，
03:20
where a local fossil hunter found
several bones of Spinosaurus.
several bones of Spinosaurus.
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他在这个坑里挖出过一些棘龙的化石。
03:25
We returned to the site,
we collected more bones.
we collected more bones.
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我们重新回到这个坑里寻找更多的化石。
03:28
And so after 100 years we finally
had another partial skeleton
had another partial skeleton
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终于，在100多年之后，
我们又挖掘到了这种
我们又挖掘到了这种
03:32
of this bizarre creature.
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奇特生物的骨架，
（译注：第一具已经在二战中被毁）
（译注：第一具已经在二战中被毁）
03:34
And we were able to reconstruct it.
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我们成功的重建了它。
03:36
We now know that
Spinosaurus had a head
Spinosaurus had a head
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我们现在能够确认棘龙的头
03:38
a little bit like a crocodile,
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形状跟鳄鱼的头有点像，
03:39
very different from other
predatory dinosaurs,
predatory dinosaurs,
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跟其它的肉食性恐龙差别非常大，
03:42
very different from the T. rex.
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跟雷克斯暴龙家族（T. rex）差别非常大。
03:44
But the really interesting information
came from the rest of the skeleton.
came from the rest of the skeleton.
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更有意思的是骨架的其它部分。
03:49
We had long spines,
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我们发现了很长的脊椎骨，
03:51
the spines forming the big sail.
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构成了一条粗大的尾巴，
我们找到了腿骨和头盖骨，
03:53
We had leg bones, we had skull bones,
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03:55
we had paddle-shaped feet, wide feet --
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我们找到了桨状的足，
脚趾分的很开——
脚趾分的很开——
03:59
again, very unusual, no other
dinosaur has feet like this --
dinosaur has feet like this --
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非常的少见，
这是已知恐龙中唯一带有这种特征的——
这是已知恐龙中唯一带有这种特征的——
04:02
and we think they may have been
used to walk on soft sediment,
used to walk on soft sediment,
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我们猜测是因为他们需要在
松软的沉积物上行走的缘故，
松软的沉积物上行走的缘故，
04:05
or maybe for paddling in the water.
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或者它们需要在水里滑行。
04:07
We also looked at the fine
microstructure of the bone,
microstructure of the bone,
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我们还检查了骨头的微结构，
04:11
the inside structure of Spinosaurus bones,
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棘龙骨头的内部构造，
04:13
and it turns out that they're
very dense and compact.
very dense and compact.
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发现骨头非常的密实和紧凑。
04:16
Again, this is something we see in animals
that spend a lot of time in the water,
that spend a lot of time in the water,
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这样的结构我们经常在长期
泡在水里的动物身上看到，
泡在水里的动物身上看到，
04:19
it's useful for buoyancy
control in the water.
control in the water.
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有助于它们在水中控制平衡。
04:23
We C.T.-scanned all of our bones
and built a digital Spinosaurus skeleton.
and built a digital Spinosaurus skeleton.
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我们用CT扫描了收集到的所有骨头，
并对棘龙的骨架进行了数字建模。
并对棘龙的骨架进行了数字建模。
04:28
And when we looked
at the digital skeleton,
at the digital skeleton,
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当我们仔细研究骨架模型时，
04:30
we realized that yes, this was
a dinosaur unlike any other.
a dinosaur unlike any other.
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我们意识到，没错，棘龙是独特的。
04:35
It's bigger than a T. rex,
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它比之前发现的雷克斯暴龙还要大，
04:36
and yes, the head has "fish-eating"
written all over it,
written all over it,
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没错，棘龙的头就是为了
捕鱼而设计的，
捕鱼而设计的，
04:39
but really the entire skeleton has
"water-loving" written all over it --
"water-loving" written all over it --
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但是实际上棘龙的全身都
透露着“亲水型”的设计——
透露着“亲水型”的设计——
04:43
dense bone, paddle-like feet,
and the hind limbs are reduced in size,
and the hind limbs are reduced in size,
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紧致的骨骼、蹼状的足、
相对短小的后足，
相对短小的后足，
04:48
and again, this is something
we see in animals
we see in animals
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同样的，这些特征都让我们相信
04:50
that spend a substantial amount
of time in the water.
of time in the water.
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只有长期呆在水里的动物
才会有这些身体构造。
才会有这些身体构造。
04:54
So, as we fleshed out our Spinosaurus --
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所以，当我们重建了棘龙的血肉——
04:58
I'm looking at muscle attachments
and wrapping our dinosaur in skin --
and wrapping our dinosaur in skin --
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当我注视着棘龙的肌肉和
最外层的皮肤时——
最外层的皮肤时——
我们意识到我们面对的是
一头水里的猛兽，
一头水里的猛兽，
05:02
we realize that we're dealing
with a river monster,
with a river monster,
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05:06
a predatory dinosaur, bigger than T. rex,
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一种比雷克斯暴龙还要大的
肉食性恐龙，
肉食性恐龙，
05:08
the ruler of this ancient river of giants,
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远古时代的河流统治者，
05:11
feeding on the many aquatic animals
I showed you earlier on.
I showed you earlier on.
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通过捕食我刚才介绍的
其他水生生物生存。
其他水生生物生存。
05:14
So that's really what makes this
an incredible discovery.
an incredible discovery.
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这个发现非常地不可思议。
05:17
It's a dinosaur like no other.
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这是独一无二的恐龙。
05:18
And some people told me, "Wow,
this is a once-in-a-lifetime discovery.
this is a once-in-a-lifetime discovery.
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有人跟我说，“哇，能发现这个，
这辈子也就没有什么遗憾的了。
这辈子也就没有什么遗憾的了。
05:22
There are not many things left
to discover in the world."
to discover in the world."
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毕竟，这个世界上已经没有
多少地方可挖了。”
多少地方可挖了。”
05:26
Well, I think nothing could be
further from the truth.
further from the truth.
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不过，我觉得并不是这样。
05:29
I think the Sahara's
still full of treasures,
still full of treasures,
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我觉得撒哈拉依然到处都是宝藏，
05:32
and when people tell me there are
no places left to explore,
no places left to explore,
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每当有人告诉我说，
已经没啥地方可以探索了，
已经没啥地方可以探索了，
05:35
I like to quote a famous dinosaur hunter,
Roy Chapman Andrews,
Roy Chapman Andrews,
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我都喜欢引用一位著名恐龙化石考古学者
Roy Chapman Andrews 的话，
Roy Chapman Andrews 的话，
05:39
and he said, "Always, there has been
an adventure just around the corner --
an adventure just around the corner --
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他说过，”你总是能够在
角落里发现一些什么——
角落里发现一些什么——
05:45
and the world is still full of corners."
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而这个世界从来不缺角落。”
05:47
That was true many decades ago
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这句话不仅在很多年前，
05:49
when Roy Chapman Andrews
wrote these lines.
wrote these lines.
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Roy Chapman Andrews
写下它时是正确的，
写下它时是正确的，
05:51
And it is still true today.
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在今天依然如此。
05:53
Thank you.
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感谢各位。
05:54
(Applause)
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（掌声）
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Nizar Ibrahim - PaleontologistNizar Ibrahim scours Northern Africa for clues to what things were like there in the Cretaceous period. A 2015 TED Fellow, he has spearheaded the recent search for the semi-aquatic dinosaur Spinosaurus.
Why you should listen
Paleontologist Nizar Ibrahim, a postdoc at the University of Chicago, wanted to uncover the mystery of the Spinosaurus, a gigantic predatory dinosaur whose only known remains were lost during World War II. After identifying a new skeleton at a dig in North Africa, Ibrahim made the landmark conclusion that the Spinosaurus may have been the largest carnivorous dinosaur to ever live. Its crocodile-like head, dense bones, short legs, and wide, paddle feet suggest it was a water dweller unlike any other. “The entire skeleton has water-loving river monster written all over it,” he says.
Ibrahim is a TED Fellow and a National Geographic Emerging Explorer.
Nizar Ibrahim | Speaker | TED.com