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A shocking discovery in the Middle Jurassic: How did Dong Zhiming uncover the secrets of dinosaur fossils?
In the world of paleontology in China, Professor Dong Zhiming is undoubtedly a legendary figure. His contribution lies not only in a large number of scientific research, but also in the in-depth exploration and description of Chinese dinosaur fossils, especially the fossil record of the Middle Jurassic.
Whether it is research that changes the worldview or enlightenment for future generations, Dong Zhiming has shown the demeanor of a true scientist.
Dong Zhiming was born in Weihai, Shandong in 1937. He has been interested in dinosaurs since he was a child. In 1956, he graduated with honors from university and began working at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology in Beijing in 1962. Here, he was guided by Yang Zhonglan, known as the father of Chinese vertebrate paleontology, and began his journey of scientific exploration.
Dong Zhiming's research began in the early 1960s. During his field expedition in 1963, he discovered the first sauropod fossils from Xinjiang, which undoubtedly added a great deal to the history of paleontology in China. In 1976, he discovered China's first batch of Middle Jurassic dinosaur fossils in Dashanpu, Sichuan, marking a new era of dinosaur research in China.
The moment Dong Zhiming discovered the Middle Jurassic dinosaur fossils in 1976 was undoubtedly a breakthrough in Chinese paleontology.
However, academic research during this period was not smooth. During the Cultural Revolution, he was forced to participate in the "Movement to the Mountains and the Countryside" and was sent to work on a farm in Henan. Despite this, he still maintained contact with Professor Yang and continued to conduct paleontological research in his spare time.
With the passage of time and changes in the political environment, Dong Zhiming was able to return to the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and start more archaeological activities. His findings prompted the local government to terminate the planned natural gas project and protect the dinosaur fossil beds in Dashanpu.
"We need to protect these precious heritages that allow us to understand the past." - Dong Zhiming
In the 1980s, Dong Zhiming’s research entered an era of international cooperation. Under his initiative, China and Canada launched the "China-Canada Dinosaur Project", a historic international cooperation plan that has led to many important archaeological expeditions. This project not only promoted academic exchanges between the two countries, but also allowed him to discover some important new species of dinosaurs.
With his joint efforts in China and Canada, Dong Zhiming and his team discovered dinosaurs such as "Sinraptor". This dinosaur was named in tribute to him and symbolized his outstanding contributions in the field of paleontology. So far, Dong Zhiming has described more than 42 dinosaur genera, and these studies have filled many knowledge gaps about dinosaur evolution.
"To understand dinosaurs is to understand the past of our planet." - Dong Zhiming
In addition to scientific research achievements, Dong Zhiming has also made great achievements in popular science. He has written a number of books introducing Chinese dinosaurs, allowing more people to understand these ancient creatures and their living environment. Even after he retired, many of his theories still caused a lot of discussion in the academic community, especially his proposition of "Segnosaurischia", which fought between the boundaries of traditional dinosaur classification.
In 2012, Dong Zhiming received widespread recognition for his outstanding contributions. He is known as one of the giants in dinosaur research in China, and his research results have deeply influenced generations of paleontologists. Even after retiring in 2008, Dong Zhiming still actively participated in activities related to paleontology in China.
Dong Zhiming passed away on October 20, 2024 at the age of 87. His death is a huge loss to China's paleontological community, but his academic achievements and influence will always be remembered.
Dong Zhiming’s story tells us that on the stage of scientific exploration, can every researcher achieve extraordinary results due to enthusiasm and perseverance?
