Guide to Resurrect a 75-Foot-Long Dinosaur

In a remote corner of Utah, back in 2007, a team from the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County made a remarkable discovery. Amidst the rugged terrain, they unearthed a jumble of dinosaur bones, a veritable dinosaur logjam, that included the remains of Diplodocus, Camarasaurus, Allosaurus, Stegosaurus, and others. This site is part of the Morrison formation, a stratum of sandstone from the end of the Jurassic period.

The identity of one of the species discovered has yet to be determined, but it shares many characteristics with the genus Diplodocidae. The bones, along with the steel holders that attach each bone to the larger structure, were disassembled, packed in shipping crates, and trucked back to Los Angeles for final assembly.

However, the fossils are challenging to prepare due to the surrounding material being like cement. In the prep lab in Los Angeles, preparators use tools such as angle grinders, hammers, chisels, and dental tools to remove excess stone. Another essential tool in the preparation process is an eye for the unexpected.

One of the most intriguing finds at the site was Gnatalie, a sauropod dinosaur. But Gnatalie is not a single dinosaur but a combination of parts from two or more individuals of the same species. The reconstruction of Gnatalie took months of painstaking labor and involved mapping parts and building corresponding steel structures to support them.

A large section of spine crushed and twisted during those 150 million years underground presented a major issue and was replaced with 3D-printed substitutes. The real bones will be displayed below as part of the exhibit's message about the challenges of getting from dig to exhibition hall.

The final assembly is happening on a plinth specially designed for this moment, and Gnatalie's new life as a terror and teacher to our upstart species is beginning at last. The mount will measure about 75 feet long and be displayed in the grand entry hall of a new wing of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. The jackets of burlap and plaster placed around the fossils to protect them have increased in weight over time, requiring heavy machinery for lifting.

Meanwhile, Gnatalie's skeleton is being reconstructed at Research Casting International (RCI) in a small Canadian town. The steel holders attach each bone to the larger structure in a way that any bone, or all of them, can be removed for repair or research.

This monumental project promises to be a fascinating addition to the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, offering visitors a glimpse into the distant past and the incredible journey of discovery that led to Gnatalie's creation.