Barnum Brown facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Barnum Brown
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Brown in 1897
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| Born | February 12, 1873 |
| Died | February 5, 1963 (aged 89) |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Discovered first documented remains of Amphipithecus mogaungensis and Tyrannosaurus rex |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | paleontology |
| Institutions | American Museum of Natural History |
Barnum Brown (born February 12, 1873 – died February 5, 1963) was a famous American paleontologist. People often called him Mr. Bones. He was named after the famous circus showman P. T. Barnum.
Barnum Brown discovered the very first complete bones of a Tyrannosaurus rex. His long career made him one of the most well-known fossil hunters from the late 1800s into the early 1900s. He helped find many amazing dinosaur fossils for the American Museum of Natural History.
Contents
Discovering Dinosaur Fossils
Barnum Brown worked for the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York. He traveled all over the country looking for fossils. He would often trade or buy fossils from people who found them. Sometimes, he just sent money to have new fossils shipped to the museum. He was interested in anything that could be scientifically important.
After working in Wyoming for a few years in the late 1890s, Brown led a big trip to Montana. In 1902, he made his most famous discovery there. He found and dug up the first complete bones of a Tyrannosaurus rex!
The fossil digs in Montana found huge amounts of fossils. They found so many that they could fill entire train cars! Back then, fossil hunters used different methods than today. Brown's teams often used controlled blasts of dynamite to remove heavy rocks covering the fossils. They moved everything with horse-drawn wagons and pure human strength.
After almost ten years in Montana, Brown went to Alberta, Canada. He explored along the Red Deer River near Drumheller. In the mid-1910s, Brown and his team floated down the river on a flatboat. They stopped to search for fossils at promising spots. Another famous family of fossil hunters, the Sternbergs, were also working on the same river. Brown and the Sternbergs had a friendly rivalry, trying to find the best fossils. Their discoveries became famous in the history of paleontology.
In 1910, Brown's team made another important find. They uncovered several hind feet from a group of Albertosaurus dinosaurs. This was in Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park. For many years, these fossils were stored away at the American Museum of Natural History. In the 1990s, Dr. Phil Currie, a dinosaur expert, found the original dig site again. He used only an old photograph to guide him! New excavations started there in 1998 and continued for several years.
Barnum Brown was even featured in a movie! In the 1998 IMAX film T-Rex: Back to the Cretaceous, an actor played him.
Finding Early Primates
In early 1923, Barnum Brown traveled to Yangon, the capital of what was then Burma (now Myanmar). He searched for fossils in areas with a type of rock called Pondaung Sandstone. He found a jawbone with three teeth near the town of Mogaung.
Brown didn't realize how important his find was until 14 years later. That's when Edwin H. Colbert, another scientist from the AMNH, identified the fossil. It was a new species of primate and the earliest known ape-like creature in the world! He named it Amphipithecus mogaungensis, which means "ape-like creature of Mogaung." Scientists still discuss this fossil today because it's so old and important.
Barnum Brown's Public Image
Barnum Brown lived during a time of amazing scientific discoveries. He was known for his unique style. At his dig sites in Canada, he was often photographed wearing a large fur coat. He was a very colorful and memorable person in the world of science.
His Family Life
Barnum Brown went to high school in Carbondale, Kansas. He then studied at the University of Kansas.
His second wife, Lilian MacLaughlin Brown, wrote a book about their adventures called I Married a Dinosaur (1950). She also wrote other books about her travels and expeditions.
Barnum Brown was buried in Oxford, New York. This was the hometown of his first wife, Marion Raymond. Their daughter, Frances Raymond Brown, grew up with the Raymond family. She later became a dean at Radcliffe College.
Images for kids
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Brown in 1897
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Brown (left) with Henry Fairfield Osborn and the leg bone of a Diplodocus fossil in Wyoming.
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The AMNH boat Mary Jane in 1911. From left to right: Henry Osborn, Fred Saunders (cook), and Barnum Brown.
See also
In Spanish: Barnum Brown para niños
