ABOUT THE SPEAKER
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.

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.

More profile about the speaker
Nizar Ibrahim | Speaker | TED.com
TEDYouth 2014

Nizar Ibrahim: How we unearthed the Spinosaurus

尼扎爾.伊布拉欣: 我們是如何挖掘出棘龍的

Filmed:
1,044,658 views

九千七百萬年前,五十呎長的肉食動物棘龍在河流中追捕獵物,牠又被稱為「遠古時代的龍」。古生物學家尼扎爾.伊布拉欣和他的團隊發現了新的化石,化石藏於摩洛哥撒哈拉沙漠的懸崖下,這有助於我們對首隻懂游泳的恐龍了解更多——或許這也是體型最龐大的肉食恐龍。
- 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

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

這些來自遠古時代的恐龍
真是不可思議的生物,
00:12
These dragons小龍 from deep time
are incredible難以置信 creatures生物.
0
988
4713
00:17
They're bizzarrebizzarre,
1
5701
1445
牠們樣貌奇異,
00:19
they're beautiful美麗,
2
7146
1710
卻又美麗,
00:20
and there's very little
we know about them.
3
8856
2985
而我們對牠們知之甚少。
00:23
These thoughts思念 were going
through通過 my head
4
11841
2290
當我翻開人生中
第一本與恐龍有關的書籍時,
00:26
when I looked看著 at the pages網頁 of
my first dinosaur恐龍 book.
5
14131
4443
這些想法早在我腦海中不斷盤旋,
00:30
I was about five years年份 old at the time,
6
18574
2504
儘管那時我才五歲,
00:33
and I decided決定 there and then
7
21078
1953
而當時我已決定了
00:35
that I would become成為 a paleontologist古生物學家.
8
23031
2845
未來要成為一名古生物學者,
00:37
Paleontology古生物學 allowed允許 me
to combine結合 my love for animals動物
9
25876
3337
因為古生物學者能將熱愛動物
00:41
with my desire慾望 to travel旅行 to
far-flung遙遠 corners角落 of the world世界.
10
29213
4728
與周遊列國的願望結合。
00:45
And now, a few少數 years年份 later後來,
I've led several一些 expeditions探險
11
33941
3023
幾年後,現在我已經帶領過
數次考察工作,
00:48
to the ultimate最終 far-flung遙遠 corner
on this planet行星, the Sahara撒哈拉.
12
36964
5182
曾到過地球上最遙遠的角落—
撒哈拉大沙漠,
00:54
I've worked工作 in the Sahara撒哈拉 because
I've been on a quest尋求
13
42146
4049
到撒哈拉的原因是我要尋找
00:58
to uncover揭露 new remains遺跡 of
a bizarre奇異的, giant巨人 predatory掠奪性 dinosaur恐龍
14
46195
5105
一種奇特而巨大的遠古恐龍的遺骸,
01:03
called Spinosaurus棘龍.
15
51300
3151
名叫棘龍。
01:06
A few少數 bones骨頭 of this animal動物
have been found發現
16
54451
3353
一名德國古生物學家
曾於約一百年前在埃及沙漠中
01:09
in the deserts沙漠 of Egypt埃及
17
57804
1380
01:11
and were described描述 about 100 years年份 ago
by a German德語 paleontologist古生物學家.
18
59184
5353
發現牠的骨骼。
01:16
Unfortunately不幸, all his Spinosaurus棘龍 bones骨頭
were destroyed銷毀 in World世界 War戰爭 IIII.
19
64537
4948
不幸的是,這些棘龍骨骸
在第二次世界大戰中被毀壞,
01:21
So all we're left with are just
a few少數 drawings圖紙 and notes筆記.
20
69485
4304
現在只保留著一些繪畫和筆記。
01:25
From these drawings圖紙,
21
73789
1261
從這些圖畫中,
01:27
we know that this creature生物, which哪一個 lived生活
about 100 million百萬 years年份 ago,
22
75050
3411
我們發現這個活在一億年前的生物
01:30
was very big,
23
78461
1551
體型十分巨大,
01:32
it had tall spines on its back,
forming成型 a magnificent華麗的 sail,
24
80012
3413
背上有著明顯的長刺,
形成一個帆狀物,
01:35
and it had long, slender苗條 jaws,
a bit like a crocodile鱷魚,
25
83425
4747
牠的頜骨又細又長,有點像鱷魚,
01:41
with conical teeth,
26
89542
2218
牙齒呈圓錐狀,
01:43
that may可能 have been used
to catch抓住 slippery prey獵物, like fish.
27
91760
4887
可能是用於捕獵表面光滑的獵物,
例如魚類。
01:48
But that was pretty漂亮 much
all we knew知道
28
96647
2057
但是我們對棘龍的認識
01:50
about this animal動物 for the next下一個 100 years年份.
29
98704
3599
在後來的一百年幾乎毫無進展。
01:58
My fieldwork實習 took me to the border邊境 region地區
between之間 Morocco摩洛哥 and Algeria阿爾及利亞,
30
106563
4802
我們曾前往摩洛哥和
阿爾及利亞的邊界附近,
02:03
a place地點 called the Kem凱姆 Kem凱姆.
31
111365
2573
一個名為卡瑪卡瑪的地方
進行實地考察,
02:05
It's a difficult place地點 to work in.
32
113938
2313
那裡的工作環境十分惡劣,
02:08
You have to deal合同 with sandstorms沙塵暴
and snakes and scorpions蝎子,
33
116251
3689
你需要應付沙塵暴、蛇及蝎子,
02:11
and it's very difficult to find
good fossils化石 there.
34
119940
3144
也很困難地才找到保存完善的化石。
02:15
But our hard work paid支付 off.
35
123084
2816
但是我們所做的努力並沒有白費,
02:17
We discovered發現 many許多 incredible難以置信 specimens標本.
36
125900
2215
我們發現許多非常棒的標本,
02:20
There's the largest最大 dinosaur恐龍 bone
37
128115
1752
包括在撒哈拉沙漠中從未發現過
體積如此龐大的恐龍骨骸化石,
02:21
that had ever been found發現
in this part部分 of the Sahara撒哈拉.
38
129867
2508
我們發現了體型龐大的掠奪性恐龍、
02:25
We found發現 remains遺跡 of giant巨人
predatory掠奪性 dinosaurs恐龍,
39
133475
3494
中型的掠奪性恐龍、
02:28
medium-sized中型 predatory掠奪性 dinosaurs恐龍,
40
136969
2663
02:31
and seven or eight different不同 kinds
of crocodile-like鱷魚一樣 hunters獵人.
41
139632
5599
以及七或八種類似鱷魚的獵手。
02:37
These fossils化石 were deposited沉積
in a river system系統.
42
145231
3002
這些化石沉積在某一河流系統中,
02:40
The river system系統 was also home
to a giant巨人, car-sized汽車大小 coelacanth腔棘魚,
43
148233
4170
而且它還是一種有如汽車般大的巨型鋸瑤、
像怪獸的腔棘魚的棲息地。
02:44
a monster怪物 sawfish鋸鰩,
44
152403
3460
02:47
and the skies天空 over the river system系統
were filled填充 with pterosaurs翼龍,
45
155863
3700
這片河流系統的上空還佈滿翼龍,
02:51
flying飛行 reptiles爬行動物.
46
159563
2028
一種懂飛行的爬行動物,
02:53
It was a pretty漂亮 dangerous危險 place地點,
47
161591
1619
真是一塊極危險的區域,
02:55
not the kind of place地點 where you'd want
to travel旅行 to if you had a time machine.
48
163210
3719
如果你有時光機,也不會想去遊覽一番。
03:00
So we're finding發現 all these
incredible難以置信 fossils化石 of animals動物
49
168159
2920
我們找到所有這些與棘龍
共同生存過的動物的化石,
03:03
that lived生活 alongside並肩 Spinosaurus棘龍,
50
171079
2690
但棘龍本身蹤跡卻難以尋找,
03:05
but Spinosaurus棘龍 itself本身 proved證實
to be very elusive難以捉摸.
51
173769
2769
03:08
We were just finding發現 bits and pieces
52
176538
1747
我們只找到一些化石碎片,
03:10
and I was hoping希望 that we'd星期三 find
a partial局部 skeleton骨架 at some point.
53
178285
4415
我期待著有一天終能找到
一副局部的骨骼。
03:15
Finally最後, very recently最近,
54
183640
1717
直到最近,
03:17
we were able能夠 to track跟踪 down a dig site現場
55
185357
3110
我們終於追尋到一個挖掘場,
03:20
where a local本地 fossil化石 hunter獵人 found發現
several一些 bones骨頭 of Spinosaurus棘龍.
56
188467
4964
一位當地的化石獵人在那裡
發現了幾塊棘龍的骨骸化石,
03:25
We returned to the site現場,
we collected more bones骨頭.
57
193431
2860
我們再度造訪那發掘地時,
也收集到更多的骨骸化石,
03:28
And so after 100 years年份 we finally最後
had another另一個 partial局部 skeleton骨架
58
196291
4073
一百多年後,我們終於發現另一塊
屬於此奇異生物的局部骨骸。
03:32
of this bizarre奇異的 creature生物.
59
200364
2161
我們隨後對骨骸進行修復,
03:34
And we were able能夠 to reconstruct重建 it.
60
202525
1671
03:36
We now know that
Spinosaurus棘龍 had a head
61
204196
1894
我們現在知道
03:38
a little bit like a crocodile鱷魚,
62
206090
1796
棘龍的頭部有點像鱷魚,
03:39
very different不同 from other
predatory掠奪性 dinosaurs恐龍,
63
207886
2195
有異於其他食肉恐龍,
03:42
very different不同 from the T. rex雷克斯.
64
210081
2737
也有異於雷克斯霸王龍。
03:44
But the really interesting有趣 information信息
came來了 from the rest休息 of the skeleton骨架.
65
212818
4853
然而真正令人感興趣的是
骨架的其餘部分。
03:49
We had long spines,
66
217671
1333
牠們背脊上的長刺
03:51
the spines forming成型 the big sail.
67
219004
2628
形成一個巨大帆狀物,
03:53
We had leg bones骨頭, we had skull頭骨 bones骨頭,
68
221632
2245
我們發現腿骨和頭蓋骨,
03:55
we had paddle-shaped槳式 feet, wide feet --
69
223877
3448
還有寬大的槳狀腳掌,
03:59
again, very unusual異常, no other
dinosaur恐龍 has feet like this --
70
227325
2815
同樣的,這腳掌是極不尋常的,
從未在其他恐龍身上發現過,
04:02
and we think they may可能 have been
used to walk步行 on soft柔軟的 sediment沉澱,
71
230140
3111
我們認為這有助於
在鬆軟的沉澱物上行走,
04:05
or maybe for paddling in the water.
72
233251
2692
或者在水中划動。
04:07
We also looked看著 at the fine
microstructure微觀結構 of the bone,
73
235943
3438
我們還研究了骨骼的顯微組織,
04:11
the inside structure結構體 of Spinosaurus棘龍 bones骨頭,
74
239381
1996
即是棘龍骨頭的內部結構,
04:13
and it turns out that they're
very dense稠密 and compact緊湊.
75
241377
2759
研究發現其骨骼的密度很高
且十分緊實,
04:16
Again, this is something we see in animals動物
that spend a lot of time in the water,
76
244136
3858
這個特徵對長時間居住在水中的
生物來說很常見,
04:19
it's useful有用 for buoyancy浮力
control控制 in the water.
77
247994
3192
以便更好地控制水中浮力。
04:23
We C.T.-scanned-scanned all of our bones骨頭
and built內置 a digital數字 Spinosaurus棘龍 skeleton骨架.
78
251186
5373
我們用電腦斷層掃描檢測所有骨骸,
並建立一副棘龍的數位化骨架,
04:28
And when we looked看著
at the digital數字 skeleton骨架,
79
256559
2211
當我們觀察這副數位化骨架時,
我們發現這真是一種與眾不同的恐龍,
04:30
we realized實現 that yes, this was
a dinosaur恐龍 unlike不像 any other.
80
258770
4436
04:35
It's bigger than a T. rex雷克斯,
81
263206
1599
牠比雷克斯霸王龍巨型,
04:36
and yes, the head has "fish-eating食魚"
written書面 all over it,
82
264805
2725
而且頭部顯示牠是一種
喜好捕魚的恐龍,
04:39
but really the entire整個 skeleton骨架 has
"water-loving喜水" written書面 all over it --
83
267530
4099
整副骨架也證明牠是種親水動物—
04:43
dense稠密 bone, paddle-like槳狀 feet,
and the hind limbs四肢 are reduced減少 in size尺寸,
84
271629
4835
緊實的骨質、漿狀的腳掌、
後肢的尺寸減小,
04:48
and again, this is something
we see in animals動物
85
276464
2208
這些確實是
04:50
that spend a substantial大量的 amount
of time in the water.
86
278672
2879
常常生活於水中的動物所具有的特徵。
04:54
So, as we fleshed充實 out our Spinosaurus棘龍 --
87
282711
3393
因此,當我們還原棘龍的形態時—
04:58
I'm looking at muscle肌肉 attachments附件
and wrapping包皮 our dinosaur恐龍 in skin皮膚 --
88
286104
4164
我觀察到牠的肌腱附著點
以及還原其皮膚時—
05:02
we realize實現 that we're dealing交易
with a river monster怪物,
89
290268
3880
我們認為正在研究著一隻河中巨獸,
05:06
a predatory掠奪性 dinosaur恐龍, bigger than T. rex雷克斯,
90
294148
2329
一隻掠奪性恐龍,
比雷克斯霸王龍還巨型,
05:08
the ruler統治者 of this ancient river of giants豪門,
91
296477
2776
古代河流的統治者,
05:11
feeding饋送 on the many許多 aquatic animals動物
I showed顯示 you earlier on.
92
299253
3250
牠們進食早前在此介紹過的各樣水中動物。
05:14
So that's really what makes品牌 this
an incredible難以置信 discovery發現.
93
302503
2866
這真是一項驚人的發現,
05:17
It's a dinosaur恐龍 like no other.
94
305369
1505
因為這隻恐龍跟其他的不同,
05:18
And some people told me, "Wow,
this is a once-in-a-lifetime一生一次的 discovery發現.
95
306874
3567
有些人對我說:「嘩,
這真是一輩子只有一次的發現,
05:22
There are not many許多 things left
to discover發現 in the world世界."
96
310441
3262
世上還未被發現的事情已經不多了。」
05:26
Well, I think nothing could be
further進一步 from the truth真相.
97
314803
3172
嗯,我認為事實並非如此,
05:29
I think the Sahara's撒哈拉的
still full充分 of treasures珍品,
98
317975
2271
我認為撒哈拉大沙漠
仍隱藏著很多寶藏,
05:32
and when people tell me there are
no places地方 left to explore探索,
99
320246
3185
當其他人告訴我,
這世上已再沒有地方可被探索時,
05:35
I like to quote引用 a famous著名 dinosaur恐龍 hunter獵人,
Roy羅伊 Chapman查普曼 Andrews安德魯斯,
100
323431
4037
我會引用羅伊·查普曼·安德魯斯,
一位著名的恐龍探索家的名言,
05:39
and he said, "Always, there has been
an adventure冒險 just around the corner --
101
327468
5616
他說:「每個轉角處都會遇上奇遇,
而世上轉角處仍無處不在。」
05:45
and the world世界 is still full充分 of corners角落."
102
333084
2812
05:47
That was true真正 many許多 decades幾十年 ago
103
335896
1919
數十年前,羅伊·查普曼·安德魯斯
寫下這句說話時,
05:49
when Roy羅伊 Chapman查普曼 Andrews安德魯斯
wrote these lines.
104
337815
2042
這是事實,
05:51
And it is still true真正 today今天.
105
339857
1982
到了今天,也依舊如此。
05:53
Thank you.
106
341839
888
謝謝大家
05:54
(Applause掌聲)
107
342727
2694
(鼓掌)
Translated by Alan Wang
Reviewed by William Choi

▲Back to top

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
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.

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.

More profile about the speaker
Nizar Ibrahim | Speaker | TED.com