Dinosaurs part of Singapore's 'deep' history
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Jul 19, 2011 - ST Forum
WE WOULD like to comment on two interesting commentaries on our current endeavours to bring dinosaurs to the new natural history museum in Singapore.
We are delighted that Ms Ong Sor Fern ('What have dinosaurs got to do with S'pore?'; last Saturday) enjoyed her visit to the old museum and recognises the importance of having a new natural history museum that features Singapore's plant and animal life.
We remain committed to this and 90 per cent of the new gallery will celebrate the biodiversity of Singapore and South-east Asia. We are also planning for a heritage gallery that will showcase material from the original museum.
The funding from the initial donations has already been earmarked for safeguarding the historic collections and exhibiting these specimens.
However, modern natural history museums should not feature only today's biodiversity because it gives the erroneous impression that the planet's biota does not change. That is why all major museums use fossils of extinct species to introduce ancient 'lost worlds'. We must also remember that more than 100 million years ago, Singapore was part of a huge continent called Laurasia, a landmass on which dinosaurs roamed.
Dinosaurs are therefore part of Singapore's 'deep' history. Unfortunately, Singapore's tropical climate is not conducive to preserving dinosaur fossils. This is why we have started a fund-raising effort to acquire three spectacular dinosaurs that will educate the public about the history of life. These are also of exceptional scientific value because they are the best-preserved large sauropods ('long-necks') that have been unearthed in decades. They would anchor our exhibit on geological change, which would also feature Singapore's palaeontological history.
As to their educational value, Mr Ignatius Low ('Why we need dinos'; Sunday) rightfully observed that dinosaurs 'inspire and awe'. There is no doubt that dinosaurs attract visitors of all ages and backgrounds, and we can then be more effective in teaching them about global biodiversity, extinction and conservation. We see the specimens as a major catalyst for research and education, and are also convinced that they will significantly increase the visitorship to the galleries dedicated to Singapore's natural history.
Unfortunately, we will be able to showcase these specimens only if our fund-raising drive is successful. We hope Singaporeans will help us bring these dinosaurs to Singapore.
Professor Rudolf Meier
Chairman, Scientific Advisory Committee
Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum
National University of SingaporeProfessor Peter Ng
Director, Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research
National University of SingaporeProfessor Leo Tan
Director, Special Projects, Faculty of Science and
Chairman, Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum
Fund-Raising Committee -
As part of biodiversity, we should not spend on such lavish exhibits but more to educate the public on perserving the little nature that is still in Sg.
This contrst greatly with Khaw's proposal to perserve the railway track green and nature for the public to enjoy.
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Singapore ah...
We were once part of japan... we were once part of malaysia...
before tat, we might be part of indo...
before that we are part of ... ... ...
fwah~ never ending~~~
so can we say the singapore got connection with the german sausages?
so can we say singapore got connection with mayan calander???
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Originally posted by Clivebenss:
As part of biodiversity, we should not spend on such lavish exhibits but more to educate the public on perserving the little nature that is still in Sg.
This contrst greatly with Khaw's proposal to perserve the railway track green and nature for the public to enjoy.
100 years down the road, when singapore got no landspace left, KBW will eat his own words...but think he likely dun care as he's not ard anymore...
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Originally posted by ^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~:
Singapore ah...
We were once part of japan... we were once part of malaysia...
before tat, we might be part of indo...
before that we are part of ... ... ...
fwah~ never ending~~~
so can we say the singapore got connection with the german sausages?
so can we say singapore got connection with mayan calander???
Stamford Raffles ate german sausages in Singapore?
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Originally posted by Clivebenss:
Stamford Raffles ate german sausages in Singapore?
according to the prof(s), we are all part of the same landmass ma...to use countries is not a good example sia...
to use continent, however, is a better choice... but face it, we dun have means dun have... now even foreign bones also wan to bring in
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Our history certainly goes further than Lee Kuan Yew, The Japanese, Sir Stamford Raffles, Admiral Cheng Ho, Sang Nila Utama, the lion, and orang laut.
We have foound some Japanese bombs, matter to time we will find some prehistoric sea shells, then a bone.
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Originally posted by mancha:
Our history certainly goes further than Lee Kuan Yew, The Japanese, Sir Stamford Raffles, Admiral Cheng Ho, Sang Nila Utama, the lion, and orang laut.
We have foound some Japanese bombs, matter to time we will find some prehistoric sea shells, then a bone.
There are 2 sites that have some fossils, one under a factory in Jurong, another inside army training area.
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Originally posted by ^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~:
100 years down the road, when singapore got no landspace left, KBW will eat his own words...but think he likely dun care as he's not ard anymore...
not to worry. given another few billion years, the continents will fuse againwe will have lots of lands then
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We got dinosaurs at RWS right?
Some kind of Jurassic Park ride?
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yar...milo dinosaur has been around for quite awhile now.
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Singapore have....... lots of money and don'tknow where to spend.
Buy bone that doggie oso don't want to eat foe S$12 mil.
Better put these monies to good use.
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Well, we can always embalm our great leader - The Old Goat, once he kicks the bucket.
I'm sure asslickers and bootlickers will have a field day there, they can also go and shed crocodile tears there to impresses their great leader's family members.
It can become a great money spinner also for our great party.
The Old Goat can work for eternity then.
Not just up to 80 or 90 years old.
Dream come true.
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Originally posted by Askingyouto:
Well, we can always embalm our great leader - The Old Goat, once he kicks the bucket.
I'm sure asslickers and bootlickers will have a field day there, they can also go and shed crocodile tears there to impresses their great leader's family members.
It can become a great money spinner also for our great party.
The Old Goat can work for eternity then.
Not just up to 80 or 90 years old.
Dream come true.
That will not happen. He won't let anyone insult his body or pose for photo with it.
He has already said he wants his house to be demolished so it won't become a museum for people to visit. Too proud to exhibit his life to commoners I guess.
My regret is that his companion did not live to see what happen to him in this GE.
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That forum reply spoke a lot but very little about how dinosaurs are connected to Singapore. Suspect it's a last min attempt to link it sg now that it's come under fire.
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All day I've been feeling pissed off and gloomy.
Then when I saw the topic title...
I burst out laughing.
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Trying to link dinosaurs to Sg is like trying to link Beckham to Tampines Rovers FC.
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Originally posted by charlize:
Trying to link dinosaurs to Sg is like trying to link Beckham to Tampines Rovers FC.
paying beckham 12M... maybe he will really come over leh...10yr later... -
Don't always think of five storey high dinosaurs, some of them are the size of chickens.
They could have been running around Mandai jungle 65million years ago.
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Originally posted by charlize:
Trying to link dinosaurs to Sg is like trying to link Beckham to Tampines Rovers FC.
Then marco polo artefacts must also be bought cos he's passed by before. Oh not forgetting the arabs and africans too.
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this is a joke
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e=mc2 Albert pass by too. Wonder what he left behind?
Like all travellers, must have looked for the toilet.
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Hmm...a toilet dinosaur. So maybe very dry and white'ish in colour?
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Originally posted by I-like-flings(m):
paying beckham 12M... maybe he will really come over leh...10yr later...Sorry, all the teams in the S League get only $8 million a year in total.
Not enough to get Beckham.
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Originally posted by charlize:
Sorry, all the teams in the S League get only $8 million a year in total.
Not enough to get Beckham.
dino football?