ATHENS, Ohio -- National Geographic, in its March 2003 cover story, profiles Ohio University researcher Lawrence Witmer and a new generation of scientists using unique methods to bring dinosaurs back to life.
The story, "Dinosaurs Come Alive," features a two-page photograph of Witmer playfully poised in his lab as though he were a specimen alongside other animal skulls. "To my boss I'm an anatomist," Witmer told reporter Joel Achenbach. "To my son I'm a paleontologist."
Witmer is pleased that National Geographic highlighted the most cutting-edge scientific research of dinosaurs. "I'm happy the exposure has come from the science rather than from simply working with dinosaurs," he said. "I recognize that when one works on dinosaurs that it plays into the public interest. But what we're doing is more rigorously lab-based, as opposed to the swashbuckling field expeditions commonly seen."
Witmer, guiding Achenbach around his Life Sciences Building laboratory, showcased his collection of manatee heads, ostrich parts and geese and ducks, among other skulls. Witmer, an associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences within the College of Osteopathic Medicine, uses dissection and CT scanning to help reconstruct the soft tissue of dinosaur heads. Extant creatures share similarities with those long since extinct, he said. For example, a Triassic period dinosaur has features quite similar to a modern-day seagull or alligator.
"Trying to understand what dinosaurs were like really is detective work," Witmer said. "As a detective tries to reconstruct the events of a crime no one witnessed, we're looking for subtle clues to flesh out dinosaurs. However, we look at more than just dinosaurs. Examining a moose, rhinoceros, ostrich or alligator helps provide clues to how the dinosaurs' soft tissue interacted with the bone. Time stripped away the soft tissues -- the muscles, blood vessels and eyes -- from the dinosaurs. My job is put them back, to clothe the bones and discover what it means for dinosaur biology."
National Geographic also cited Witmer's shifting of dinosaur nostrils from high on the head to low on the nose, near the mouth. He also discovered that Triceratops -- contrary to popular portrayals -- had a bill or a beak, as opposed to the cheeks shared by cows, horses or humans. These plant-eating dinosaurs, Witmer said, may have tugged vegetation from plants with their beaks, swallowing it intact. "They probably actually chewed with their stomachs," he told Achenbach.
The main intent of Witmer's research is not to critique or correct popular portrayals of dinosaurs. That's just often a byproduct. "One of my missions as an Ohio University researcher is to raise the bar on dinosaur research. We're not looking for mistakes to correct; instead, we're asking biological questions about dinosaurs and approaching things in a highly scientific manner. As a result, we're finding that some previous claims are not justified," he said. Using a strict scientific method, Witmer said, strengthens dinosaur research.
Witmer displayed several skulls for Achenbach. When some began to thaw, Witmer noted the odor. "Most of these guys are past their sell-by date," he said. "There's no real substitute for doing what we're doing -- getting your hands dirty, rolling up your sleeves, getting out a scalpel, and seeing how these things are really put together."
Witmer also had a hand in helping National Geographic art director Chris Sloan build a life-size model of an Allosaurus. For the replica, used in another two-page spread, Witmer chose from a collection of glass eyes, selecting a bird-like eyeball. Birds, he said, are the Allosaurus' nearest living relatives.
Of perhaps greater importance to Witmer is his appearance in the March issue of National Geographic Kids. In the article, "Dino Might! 10 Recent Discoveries That Have Rocked the Dinosaur World," author Peter Mandel praises Witmer for his work in moving the nostrils from high on the snout to near the mouth. "All the better to stop and smell the prehistoric roses," Mandel wrote.
"I enjoy working with children," Witmer said. "I've taken this on as a bit of a mission, partly because of the state of science literacy in our country. That's the beauty of dinosaurs as a vehicle for promoting science. Few scientific disciplines can cut across as many demographic categories as dinosaurs. Anyone from kids to adults are fans and dinosaur enthusiasts alike. There is also a variety of media -- movies, books and toys. My goal is to try to capitalize on the wide and fundamental interest in dinosaurs to teach about the scientific method. It's more important how we learn about dinosaurs than what we learn about dinosaurs."
Witmer's National Geographic feature is the second in recent months showcasing the region. As part of the magazine's "ZipUSA" series, the School of Visual Communication's "Dawn to Dusk" project highlighted the 45701 zip code for the January 2003 issue.
"National Geographic has such a reach, with about 40 million readers in 23 different languages," Witmer said. "It's nice to be able to carry the messages of our research and the strength of Ohio University and the College of Osteopathic Medicine to such a broad cross section of the world."
