A star called Sue

摘要

Tyrannosaurus rex has become the world's most famous dinosaur. Its spectacular size and undeniable menace make T. Rex a star attraction of museums and movies. It dwarfs any modern predator, and fascinates serious scientists as well as wide-eyed children. The allure of the beast took Peter Larson across the North American High Plains, through the surreal landscape of the US legal system and into jail for 18 months, where he drafted this fascinating book. Trained in geology but too independent-minded to work for an oil company, Larson started a South Dakota rock and fossil business with his brother Neil and a friend. He followed a long tradition of independent fossil hunters dating back two centuries to Mary Anning. The business prospered, and in 1990 one of Larson's digs hit the jackpot. Volunteer Susan Henderson returned from scouting the surrounding area with two chunks of fossil bone, each smaller than the palm of her hand, which she showed to Larson. He instantly recognised the distinctive honeycomb structure of T.rex bone.