Are dinosaur bones radioactive?

[Agent Mulder's Hair]

So I'm watching Ancient Aliens, and somebody said when you see dinosaur bones in museums, they are painted with some sort of lead paint, because a lot of the bones are radioactive. I've never heard that, and of course I had to consider the source....so I looked it up and there are some sites saying yes, dino bones are in fact radioactive. There are also some sites saying it's most likely an urban legend. Has anyone heard this before? Is there any truth to it? If so, why would they be radioactive?







I did find this:


"Most dinosaur bones discovered are highly radioactive. Because of this, the bones displayed in museums are covered with heavily leaded paint.

Mainstream scientists explain this phenomenon by citing elemental uranium deposits in Colorado and Wyoming. These deposits were formed during the Jurassic-age. The radioactivity is generated from sandstones found in the region. However, not all dinosaur bones that are radioactive are discovered in the areas.

Elemental Uranium does not occur in nature. This isotope forms through combination with oxygen and several uranium oxidized minerals and compounds.

Many dinosaur bone discoveries are made with mobile scintillators using sensitive Geiger-Muller tubes.

To explain the purveying evidence of radioactivity during ancient times, scientists at NASA and the University of Kansas claim that gamma ray bursts could have facilitated mass extinctions that would have remodeled our atmosphere.

A gamma-ray burst consists of a sudden explosion of a nearby star that may well have depleted half of the earth’s atmospheric protective ozone layer.

“A gamma-ray burst originating within 6,000 light years from Earth would have a devastating effect on life,” said Dr. Adrian Melott of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Kansas. “We don’t know exactly when one came, but we’re rather sure it did come — and left its mark. What’s most surprising is that just a 10-second burst can cause years of devastating ozone damage.”

Edit: Turns out they are in fact radioactive. Some of them highly so,


http://preparation.paleo.amnh.org/66/radiation

https://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/30075/are-all-dinosaur-bones-radioactive

https://www.quora.com/Why-are-some-dinosaur-bones-covered-in-heavily-leaded-paint

https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/tbevp/why_are_some_dinosaur_fossils_radioactive/

https://earthscience.rice.edu/2015/...es-and-agates-in-the-western-interior-seaway/

http://www.dinosaurhome.com/radioactivity-in-fossils-195662.html

 

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

depends if it was a plutoniumsaurus

 

[Agent Mulder's Hair]

depends if it was a plutoniumsaurus

 

[Bald1]

How can molds made from melted chicken bone paste be radioactive? Preposterous!

 

[CoolB]

Many of the displays are reproductions so they shouldn't be radioactive.

 

[DIABOLUS]

Fossils aren't bones, contrary to popular belief.

 

[Pied Piper]

So I'm watching Ancient Aliens

stopped reading here

 

[RetiredSlave]

Gamma, the long dick champion of the universe fucking up pregnant worlds since forever.

 

[ReAnimator Reagan]

So I'm watching Ancient Aliens, and somebody said when you see dinosaur bones in museums, they are painted with some sort of lead paint, because a lot of the bones are radioactive. I've never heard that, and of course I had to consider the source....so I looked it up and there are some sites saying yes, dino bones are in fact radioactive. There are also some sites saying it's most likely an urban legend. Has anyone heard this before? Is there any truth to it? If so, why would they be radioactive?







I did find this:


"Most dinosaur bones discovered are highly radioactive. Because of this, the bones displayed in museums are covered with heavily leaded paint.

Mainstream scientists explain this phenomenon by citing elemental uranium deposits in Colorado and Wyoming. These deposits were formed during the Jurassic-age. The radioactivity is generated from sandstones found in the region. However, not all dinosaur bones that are radioactive are discovered in the areas.

Elemental Uranium does not occur in nature. This isotope forms through combination with oxygen and several uranium oxidized minerals and compounds.

Many dinosaur bone discoveries are made with mobile scintillators using sensitive Geiger-Muller tubes.

To explain the purveying evidence of radioactivity during ancient times, scientists at NASA and the University of Kansas claim that gamma ray bursts could have facilitated mass extinctions that would have remodeled our atmosphere.

A gamma-ray burst consists of a sudden explosion of a nearby star that may well have depleted half of the earth’s atmospheric protective ozone layer.

“A gamma-ray burst originating within 6,000 light years from Earth would have a devastating effect on life,” said Dr. Adrian Melott of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Kansas. “We don’t know exactly when one came, but we’re rather sure it did come — and left its mark. What’s most surprising is that just a 10-second burst can cause years of devastating ozone damage.”

Yes, they ran off nuclear power. This is known.

 

[Agent Mulder's Hair]

Fossils aren't bones, contrary to popular belief.

What do you mean?

 

[Agent Mulder's Hair]

Hoe can molds made from melted chicken bone paste be radioactive? Preposterous!

There is a lot of truth in this ^

 

[Guestx]

You're getting the typical fools' parade of responses, but this is pretty interesting. I've never heard of this. It seems like something that should be fairly easy to find a definitive source on.

Also, hilarious dino image used in the OP.

 

[DIABOLUS]

What do you mean?

"Most ancient animals never became fossils. Their carcasses were likely consumed by other organisms, or worn away by wind or water. But sometimes the conditions were right and their remains were preserved. The most common process of fossilization happens when an animal is buried by sediment, such as sand or silt, shortly after it dies. Its bones are protected from rotting by layers of sediment. As its body decomposes all the fleshy parts wear away and only the hard parts, like bones, teeth, and horns, are left behind. Over millions of years, water in the nearby rocks surrounds these hard parts, and minerals in the water replace them, bit by bit. When the minerals have completely replaced the organic tissue, what's left is a solid rock copy of the original specimen."

http://www.amnh.org/dinosaurs/dinosaur-bones/

 

[Agent Mulder's Hair]

"Most ancient animals never became fossils. Their carcasses were likely consumed by other organisms, or worn away by wind or water. But sometimes the conditions were right and their remains were preserved. The most common process of fossilization happens when an animal is buried by sediment, such as sand or silt, shortly after it dies. Its bones are protected from rotting by layers of sediment. As its body decomposes all the fleshy parts wear away and only the hard parts, like bones, teeth, and horns, are left behind. Over millions of years, water in the nearby rocks surrounds these hard parts, and minerals in the water replace them, bit by bit. When the minerals have completely replaced the organic tissue, what's left is a solid rock copy of the original specimen."

http://www.amnh.org/dinosaurs/dinosaur-bones/

I was gonna ask if you meant that fossils are actually stones. That's interesting, especially that last sentence. I didn't know that about the water and minerals slowly replacing the organic parts bit by bit. Cool.

 

[Agent Mulder's Hair]

You're getting the typical fools' parade of responses, but this is pretty interesting. I've never heard of this. It seems like something that should be fairly easy to find a definitive source on.

Also, hilarious dino image used in the OP.

Yeah I would actually be disappointed in mayberry if I didn't get a bunch of joke responses

But yeah I do think it's pretty interesting. I haven't dug into very deeply but so far I'm seeing sites saying it's true, and sites saying it's not. So who knows?

@Scyther ?

 

[jefferz]

I was gonna ask if you meant that fossils are actually stones. That's interesting, especially that last sentence. I didn't know that about the water and minerals slowly replacing the organic parts bit by bit. Cool.

They have found fossilized skin and organs

 

[Agent Mulder's Hair]

They have found fossilized skin and organs

I had no idea skin or any organic tissue could fossilize.

 

[Bald1]

Yeah I would actually be disappointed in mayberry if I didn't get a bunch of joke responses

But yeah I do think it's pretty interesting. I haven't dug into very deeply but so far I'm seeing sites saying it's true, and sites saying it's not. So who knows?

@Scyther ?

Scyther is where I got the info that fossils and dinosaur skeletons were made of melted down chicken bones. It's like a veil was lifted from my eyes! Everything became crystal clear afterwards.

 

[Agent Mulder's Hair]

Scyther is where I got the info that fossils and dinosaur skeletons were made of melted down chicken bones. It's like a veil was lifted from my eyes! Everything became crystal clear afterwards.

Yeah as I recall that thread of his is where i learned about that as well. I believe it though. Apparently the dino bone business is sketchy as hell.

 

[Guestx]

Yeah I would actually be disappointed in mayberry if I didn't get a bunch of joke responses

You have more patience for that shit than I do.

When someone has the opportunity to contribute something meaningful and insightful and they instead choose to waste that opportunity for a stab at cheap humor, I find that very frustrating.