Hi, Mr. Nature here–with what may be the biggest dinosaur known so far: Argentinosaurus.
As paleontologists fan out into territories untouched by earlier fossil-hunters, they find cooler and cooler dinosaurs. Argentinosaurus was published in 1993 and is called by Wikipedia “the largest dinosaur known from uncontroversial evidence.” Which means its title is only temporary, pending further study and new discoveries. It is estimated, from incomplete remains, to have been about 100 feet long and weighed about 100 tons. Give or take a few.
Now that’s big!
The video gives you an idea what this creature was like. It is based on speculation, and study of the bones, comparison with similar dinosaurs, etc. Please feel free to ignore the evolution chatter in the narration. I always do.
Bob Bakker–the scientist who, more than any other, gave the world the concept of dinosaurs as lively, warm-blooded, reasonably intelligent animals–once told me that one of the things he enjoys about dinosaurs is thinking about the pleasure God must have had in creating them. Yes, I like to think about that, too.
No one has seen a living dinosaur. We can never be sure that our reconstructions of them and their world are entirely on target. I love them because they fill me with a sense of awe: “What hath God wrought!”
As far as we know, dinosaurs no longer exist on earth. But God has the entire universe at His disposal, in which to do His pleasure. In speaking of these creatures, it’s a good idea to leave absolute certainty behind.
Admire God’s handiwork, and wonder.
“Bob Bakker–the scientist who, more than any other, gave the world the concept of dinosaurs as lively, warm-blooded, reasonably intelligent animals–once told me that one of the things he enjoys about dinosaurs is thinking about the pleasure God must have had in creating them. Yes, I like to think about that, too.”
Me three. Any creation, be it a living creature or a mere work of art takes on an identity of its own. A painting speaks about the artist that painted it. Now, think about the God that created all that we see.
What kind of a mind created the domestic cat? It had to be a mind that appreciated beauty and grace, because cats abound in with both. It had to be a mind which had a sense of humor, because cats can be uproariously funny. It had to be a mind which had the capacity for tenderness, because as any cat lover will tell you, cats can be exceptionally affectionate and tender towards humans they know and trust.
Now, think about the dinosaur. What kind of mind could have conceived of an animal roughly 100 feet long? What amazing strength it would take for such a creature even to ambulate. Imagine the engineering to make joints which would be capable of flexing under the weight of 100 tons. Imagine making such a creature and having it be gentle and benign, yet God did it.
None of us can probe the mind of God, but like the viewer of a lovely painting, we can derive information about the Creator just by looking at creation. I’ve had the privilege of standing next to, and even climbing into the cab of the one of the huge dump trucks used in mining. These are the size of a Cape Cod house, yet can be driven relatively easily. I find such big things interesting, apparently God does too, because He created a class of living creature at least as large as a haul truck, and then some.
We think of God in serious terms, and we certainly should take Him seriously, but apparently He has a sense of humor and apparently enjoys His creation. What must He have felt the first time an animal made creative use of its natural talents in a unique way? The subject is endless, but obviously God does take pleasure in His creation. He also has a sense of humor, or else He wouldn’t have made me. 🙂