Tuesday, May 1, 2001
The University Daily Kansan
Section A·Page 3
KU prof says some dinos had feathers
By Amy Rendolph and Scott Smith
Specialists to the Kansas
Birds and dinosaurs may be more closely related than most people think.
At least that's what Richard Prum, associate professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, says in his latest article in Nature magazine. Prum, curator of ornithology at the Natural History Museum, concluded that birds descended from dinosaurs.
from dinosaurs.
Based on evidence from his discoveries, he said the velociraptors in Jurassic Park probably would have had fuzzy feathers covering their bodies.
135.
"I don't know if those things had had feathers if Spielberg would have picked those particular dinosaurs," Prum said. "They probably would have looked like large, amusing bird chicks and a lot less dangerous."
For centuries, scientists have debated the evolution of feathers and whether birds were related to dinosaurs, he said.
"People would create theories about why feathers were needed, such as for flight, and then create a feather to fit that mold," Prum said. "No one really had any evidence to support any of the theories, though."
Prum found evidence of feather-like structures in the fossils of a dinosaur called Sinornithosaurus in research he conducted in Beijing, China, last May.
After studying the fossils, he discovered that "dino-fuzz," or the shaded area around the imprints of the bones, contained branched structures, which resembled traditional feathers.
"This discovery shows that feathers evolved early on in the history of therapod c dinosaurs long before the origin of birds and just as importantly, long before the origin of avian, or bird, flight," Prum said. "We know now that feathers are not synonymous with birds and that feathers had origins long before birds were flying."
Because the feather-like structures were found on dinosaurs known not to fly, the theories that feathers evolved for flight have been disproved, Prum said.
I'm said. But other scientists are not as convinced
Burrow set himself Larry Martin, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and curator of fossil vertebrates at the Natural History Museum. said there wasn't enough evidence to conclude that birds evolved from dinosaurs.
"The article by Professor Prum and others is an attempt to provide additional evidence for feather structure in these things," Martin said. "Unfortunately, the evidence that they give, including their rather excellent photos, is more supportive of a competing interpretation of these structures, and that is that they are collagen fibers situated under the skin rather than on it."
Prum said debate about the evolution of birds should cease.
"Sometimes there aren't two sides to everything," he said. "No one debates whether the Earth is round, it just is. These dinosaurs had feathers, there's no question about it."
Prum said two issues would evolve from this discovery.
"I think it will open the eyes of paleontologists to examine the diversity of feathers because birds have different feathers on different parts of their bodies," he said. "Now, the whole issue of dinosaurs and birds has to be re-evaluated as well."
Prum's interest in feathers and birds took off when he was 10 years old, and he's spent his life studying the shapes and purposes of feathers. He started studying dinosaurs in his spare time.
"I just started looking at fossils as a sort of hobby because they were intriguing and fun." Prum said. He traveled to Beijing to present a paper discussing the morphology, or study of the biological shape, of feathers.
"The whole paper came together really fast." Prum said. "In May I'm presenting a paper about a theory, then the next March a whole new article is published with evidence to back it up."
The discovery could change the way people look at dinosaurs from now on.
"Maybe someday they'll have a featherized DVD version of Jurassic Park," Prum said.
Teacher employs dynamic methods
Janet Robinson, assistant professor of chemistry, illustrates a chemical diagram on a chalkboard. Robinson has made an attempt to change the way her students learn chemistry by including drawing and essay questions on her tests. Photo by Matt Daugherty/KANSAN
Nontraditional style aids students understanding
By Laurie Harrison
Special to the Kansan
Janet Robinson knows there's more to teaching than handing out grades.
"I know when I give a student a grade, it's not the whole story," said Robinson, assistant professor of chemistry. "Students aren't monolithic. No number represents a student's learning."
Robinson said she worked at improving the students' understanding of chemistry.
"I am trying to give students as much opportunity to learn in their own way," she said.
Edited by Jacob Roddy
Sherry Warren, Lawrence senior, took chemistry from Robinson and praised Robinson's approach to lecturing.
She started including essay questions on her chemistry tests and questions in which students draw chemistry concepts instead of answering multiple choice questions.
"I'really like her style," she said. "I'really was impressed that someone just did
n'tstand there and drone on and on."
Robinson created the chemistry department's first course that taught chemistry graduate teaching assistants how to teach more effectively.
She said the relationship between the student and GTA was important because students often had more personal contact with GTAs than with chemistry professors.
their teachers is an integral part of education.
For Robinson, the personal relationship developed, between students and
"To me the joy in teaching is the interaction with students," Robinson said.
A former high school chemistry and physics teacher, Robinson said she missed the one-on-one interaction with students after she
dren's mental and emotional development.
Rather than just worrying whether her child would do well in school, Robinson quit her job as a chemist and worked to become a teacher.
Robinson became interested in teaching after sending her first child to kindergarten. She realized then how important teachers and classrooms were to chil-
The techniques she teaches her GTAs to use are the ones she uses herself: listen to students, move around the room while teaching and engage students in conversation.
started teaching at the college level.
"There are times in your life when you're passionate about something that everything else pales in comparison," Robinson said.
Her interest in high school students continues. Robinson administers a National
"I am trying to give students as much opportunity to learn in their own way."
Janet Robinson Assistant professor of chemistry
Robinson said building relationships with students and teaching in ways that allowed students to ask questions and discuss what they were learning would improve the learning environment.
Science Foundation grant that places KU students majoring in science, math and engineering in Kansas City, Kan., public high schools. One of the program's goals is for KU students to build relationships with the younger students, she said.
"I just don't think there's any substitute to building a relationship when you teach," Robinson said.
Edited by Gillian Titus
Lied Center trumpets new season's array of programs
By Sarah Smashi writer@kanson.com Kanson staff writer
The French mini-series, French Connections, will explore French culture in France, Canada, Louisiana and Cambodia. The project will kick off with BeauSoleil, a Cajun dance band from Louisiana that combines old world ballads, jazz and blues with the cultural journey of Acadian people.
The Lied Center has announced the lineup for its 2001-2002 season, offering a combination of well-known musical and dance performances such as Stomp along with French-themed works new to the community.
Karen Christillies, public relations director for the Lied Center, said that the French project seeks to connect local communities with their French heritage and to examine the link between art and cultural development.
"We're looking at artists who feel the work they're doing is influenced by their culture," she said.
Other featured artists showcasing French culture will include Michel Lemieux and Victor Pilon's Orfeo from Quebec, the Lyon Opera Ballet from France and Dance, the Spirit of Cambodia with the Royal Singers and Dancers of Cambodia.
The line-up for the Lied Center's ninth season, which begins in August, will also include returning favorites such as the popular nontraditional percussion ensemble Stomp, My Fair Lady and the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra.
Season tickets for 2001-2002 are now available at the Lied Center box office.
- Edited by Brandy Straw
More information
The performance schedule for the Lied Center's 2001-2002 season
Visit www.kansan.com
Concrete canoe floats to fourth at regional competition
Toga-wearing crew uses Poseidon theme, wins "nudity award"
By Sarah Warren
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Driving down to Fayetteville, Ark. Thursday morning, the Kansas concrete canoe team thought that togas and a Greek god would place them first in the Midwest among the concrete canoe community.
Instead, the 14 traveling members of the team placed in the middle of the pack — fourth out of eight teams.
Renee Scholz, Atchison senior in her third year on the team, said placing that high in the competition was a great accomplishment for the team.
"Two of the schools out of our region are going to nationals." Scholz said. "So, for us to get fourth at our regionals is very good."
Arkansas. When they reached the competition at a lake just outside of Fayetteville, they unpacked their canoe and revealed their theme Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea.
that morning the team loaded into two vans, hitched up a trailer holding their precious canoe to a beat up Suburban and headed down to
"We were very theme oriented," Scholz said. "We wore togas for the presentation and the display parts of the competition."
The theme even permeated the boat as Scholz's father, who occasionally does auto body paint jobs, painted the boat various shades of blue, fading from dark at the bottom of the canoe to a light blue above the waterline.
Jennifer Gunby, Roeland Parkjunior, said that the theme even won them an extra award — one given out after the presentations and display, the day before the boats hit the water for the racing section of the competition.
"The night before the canoe race we got the nudity award because of our togas." Gunby said. "That was interesting."
Oklahoma State University took first place in the competition. Oklahoma University took second and Kansas State picked up third. For their boat and brain work, the Kansas team
placed third in both the display and presentation sections of the competition and placed fourth in both the paper they wrote about the experiment and in the actual race event, adding up to fourth place overall.
Gunby said that going into the sec.
Gunby said that gond day — race day — her team wanted to get an edge over Kansas State and found itself doing some unsuccessful small-scale spying to get ahead.
paddling takes all your effort while racing, so we didn't cheer then."
"The night before we heard some Arkansas people speaking and giving directions," Gunby said. "We
Scholz said in many ways, it was money that was keeping her team from breaking into the top half of the competitors.
"We improved our races and that's what we really wanted to focus on, we
"The night before the canoe race we got the nudity award because of our togas."
Jennifer Gunby Roeland Park junior
thought they were giving someone tips on the course, but really they were giving directions to the lake."
However, Gunby said, the atmosphere was not as fierce as it seemed.
"It it was completely friendly, there were always compliments on the boats and we spent our entire time cheering for the other teams racing," Gunby said. "Except when we were racing,
were in the finals in every one of the races," Scholz said. "But it's kind of a game of who can get more money from industry," Scholz said. "One of their goals for next year is to hit up some of the corporate sponsors."
Gunby said she wished the project, which begins every October, wouldn't end so abruptly next year.
"It was a bit depressing during the race because we put so much work into it and then it was just over." Gunny said. "I'll do it again next year, you can't not do it again, because it's just so amazing."
- Edited by Jay Pilgreen
We Buy, Sell & Trade USED &
NEW Sports Equipment
841-PLAY
1029
Massachusetts
KU Athletic Department Blood Drive April 30 - May 4
Gave once? You can give again!
The sorority, fraternity, residents hall floor and scholarship hall with the highest percentage of participation will EACH get a party from Chippeau and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts.
- Wed. in McColum Hall's Lobby from Noon-6pm
* Thurs. in GSP Hall's Lobby from Noon-6pm
* Thurs. & Fri. at Allen Field House from 10am-5pm
- All donors will get a goodie bag including a KU T-shirt and random prizes.
- Mon.-Wed. in the Union Ballroom from 10am-5pm
Event sponsored by:
*Chippewa MLR2K Junior Library *Harmond House *
*Standard Bverage Inc. *University Book Club *Carl O'Kelly *S*
*Dalary Queen Mr. Gatti. *O'C Chicago *Pepa Murphy's *
*Sunflower Cabbage Edition *Wendy's*
Event sponsored by:
Don't forget to bring a Photo ID!!
For more information call 843-533-933
Community Blood Center providing blood to Lawrence Memorial and all Topeka and Katy Cities Hospitals
What is the FTAA?
Why was there all that protesting in Quebec?
What does this have to do with me?
Come to a dinner/discussion and find out!
May 3rd 7pm ECM (12th and Oread-across from Yello Sub)
A panel of local activists will speak about the implications of Free Trade Area of the Americas for labor rights, the environment, indigenous groups, U.S. autonomy and YOU.
Don't let multinational corporations determine our collective fate!
Sponsored by Latin American Solidarity
Hollywood Theaters
SOUTHWIND 12
4431 IOWA
822-7690
BARGAIN MATINEES INDICATED BY ()
STADIUM SEATING * ALL DIGITAL
PIT 50mH
1 Blow $^{139}$ (1:20) 4:20, 7:20, 10:10
2 Along A Game A Spider $^{138}$ (1:10) 4:10, 5:50, 9:30
3 Freedy Got Fingered $^{137}$ (1:55) 4:10, 7:10, 9:30
4 Spy Kids $^{136}$ (1:25) 4:20, 7:00, 9:20
5 One Night At McCool's $^{135}$ (1:00) 4:15, 7:20, 10:05
6 Driven $^{134}$ (1:15) 4:05, 7:10, 9:55
7 Bridget Jones's Diary $^{133}$ (1:40) 4:30, 7:05, 10:55
8 Town And Country $^{132}$ (1:35) 4:15, 7:10, 9:40
9 Crocodile Dundee in L.A. $^{131}$ (1:50) 4:40, 7:25, 9:55
10 Joe Dice $^{130}$ (2:00) 4:50, 7:40, 9:50
11 Along Came A Spider $^{129}$ (1:45) 4:45, 7:25, 10:00
12 The Forensik $^{128}$ (2:00) 5:00, 7:40, 10:00
PLAZA 6 23:49 DWA
441, 5600
Sun & Sat
Unity
1 Brother, Where Art Thou? (1:45) 4:45 7:09, 9:38
2 Someone Like You? (2:00) 4:45 7:10, 9:44
3 Chocolat? (1:45) 4:45 7:09, 9:38
4 Joole And The Pussycats! (1:55) 4:40 7:10, 9:44
5 Traffic? (1:50) 4:35 8:00, 9:38
6 Enemy At the Gates? (1:45) 4:35 8:00, 9:38
Photo ID required for R movies