Letters: August 2003

All in the FamilyLet me express my gratitude for your June cover story ("Dinosaur Family Values"). I was beginning to fear paleontology had fallen off the face of the mass-media world. Let me also express the feelings of shock and dismay I had when I saw the caption title "Bringing Home the Brontosaur." At that point I keeled over in pain; the debate pertaining to the correct name of this large lizard plays a massive role in my life. But Bob Bakker has been one of my favorite paleontologists ever since the days when I used to watch Dinosaur! I assume he has a good reason for calling it a brontosaur. Now I come to the crux of my scathing letter. You refer to the dinosaur in question as both an apatosaur and a brontosaur. This is completely inexcusable. If you must call it a brontosaur, at least stick with ...