Yup. That's a biggun!

[dennilfloss]

Another 'humongosaur' found in Argentina. Amphicoelias may have been larger but is known from more fragmentary remains (a single vertebra) IIRC.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/Longest_dinosaurs1.png

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/s...ur-unearthed-in-argentina-desert-9389306.html

 

[Markbnj]

Unbelievably big for something that's living and breathing.

 

[Thebobo]

Just freaking amazing.

I want one as a pet.

 

[Binarycow]

Jesus rode that thing to battle.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Unbelievably big for something that's living and breathing.

And yet still smaller than a blue whale, which is living and breathing.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

when i was a little kid, my understanding was that all dinosaurs were at least that big. the first of many disappointments :\

 

[Markbnj]

And yet still smaller than a blue whale, which is living and breathing.

Blue Whales are also amazing, but I think they run a little smaller than this fossil, i.e. around 30m where this thing is 40m+.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Blue Whales are also amazing, but I think they run a little smaller than this fossil, i.e. around 30m where this thing is 40m+.

Yes, this is longer as it factors in a very long and skinny (relatively skinny) tail, but the blue whale is far more massive. Even an average size blue whale would have more than twice the body mass.

 

[JManInPhoenix]

Cool links! T Rex is still my fav dinosaur though.

 

[lupi]

Remember seeing something about the size of insects at the time also being so big, and I believe they talked about the atmosphere must have consisted of a higher O2 concentration to allow them to grow as they did and the lower % today is a reason their size is limited. The dino's probably benefited in the same regard.

 

[bunnyfubbles]

Remember seeing something about the size of insects at the time also being so big, and I believe they talked about the atmosphere must have consisted of a higher O2 concentration to allow them to grow as they did and the lower % today is a reason their size is limited. The dino's probably benefited in the same regard.

not quite. The large invertebrates were from the Paleozoic era, more specifically of the Carboniferous period (358.9 - 298.9m years ago), before the Mesozoic (252-65m years ago) era of the dinosaurs (Triasic -> Jurassic -> Cretaceous)

Carboniferous period was the "coal building" period as trees would just keep growing on top of each other as the earth simply lacked the terrestrial life needed to break it down. Oxygen levels were something like 35% of the atmosphere compared to 21% today.

also, recent study suggests dinosaurs actually lived with relatively low oxygen levels: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131118081043.htm, and I was reading somewhere that oxygen levels matter more for animals with higher metabolic rates (such as smaller mammals) than it did for the larger dinosaurs, need to find that source tho.

 

[Jeff7]

Huh, some of those things look like a snake with a really big tumor in the middle.

 

[UglyCasanova]

Yes, this is longer as it factors in a very long and skinny (relatively skinny) tail, but the blue whale is far more massive. Even an average size blue whale would have more than twice the body mass.

But this one has to support its weight at 4 points (5 with tail), that's got to count for something. Both are very cool creatures.

 

[Mai72]

Dinosaurs existed?

My church told me differently. :|

 

[The Boston Dangler]

But this one has to support its weight at 4 points (5 with tail), that's got to count for something. Both are very cool creatures.

the tail wouldn't support any weight.

 

[Pocatello]

Dinosaurs existed?

My church told me differently. :|

Which church is that?

 

[WelshBloke]

Which church is that?

Church of the missing sarcasm tag.

 

[Howard]

And yet still smaller than a blue whale, which is living and breathing.

The water helps support its weight. This thing has *Chuck Norris* legs.

edited to prevent confusion