Changes

The first published description of a dinosaur occurred years before the word was created.  In his ''Natural History of Oxford-shire'' Robert Plot, a professor of chemistry at the University of Oxford in 1676, described the lower end of a petrified femur which was too large to be from any known animal in Europe;<ref>http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/23488#/summary</ref> the femur itself was lost, but the description as well as an accompanying engraving would lead others to determine later that it belonged to the theropod ''Megalosaurus''.  In 1824, the British scientist William Buckland published a paper titled ''"Notice on the Megalosaurus or great Fossil Lizard of Stonesfield"'', the first scientifically-described dinosaur; a second dinosaur (''Iguanodon'') would be similarly-described the following year by Gideon Mantell, with a third dinosaur (''Hylaeosaurus'') discovered in Brighton in 1832.

The first published description of a dinosaur occurred years before the word was created.  In his ''Natural History of Oxford-shire'' Robert Plot, a professor of chemistry at the University of Oxford in 1676, described the lower end of a petrified femur which was too large to be from any known animal in Europe;<ref>http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/23488#/summary</ref> the femur itself was lost, but the description as well as an accompanying engraving would lead others to determine later that it belonged to the theropod ''Megalosaurus''.  In 1824, the British scientist William Buckland published a paper titled ''"Notice on the Megalosaurus or great Fossil Lizard of Stonesfield"'', the first scientifically-described dinosaur; a second dinosaur (''Iguanodon'') would be similarly-described the following year by Gideon Mantell, with a third dinosaur (''Hylaeosaurus'') discovered in Brighton in 1832.

Despite having reptilian characteristics, the size and structure of the remains justified the creation of a new biological category, and in 1842 Richard Owen coined the name "dinosaur" from two Greek words meaning "terrible lizard".<ref>http://books.google.com/books?id=dy5LAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA60&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false</ref>  The three dinosaurs were reconstructed and displayed at the Crystal Palace in London as part of the Exhibition of 1851. In 1878, several dozen ''Iguanodon'' fossils were discovered in the course of mining operations at a coal mine in Bernissart, Belgium. This find suggested that dinosaurs could travel in herds.

Despite having reptilian characteristics, the size and structure of the remains justified the creation of a new biological category, and in 1842 Richard Owen coined the name "dinosaur" from two Greek words meaning "terrible lizard".<ref>https://books.google.com/books?id=dy5LAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA60&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false</ref>  The three dinosaurs were reconstructed and displayed at the Crystal Palace in London as part of the Exhibition of 1851. In 1878, several dozen ''Iguanodon'' fossils were discovered in the course of mining operations at a coal mine in Bernissart, Belgium. This find suggested that dinosaurs could travel in herds.

===U.S. finds===

===U.S. finds===

Creation science also cites the evolutionist and [[atheism|atheist]] [[Ernst Mayr]]<ref>Matthews, Michael, [http://www.answersingenesis.org/docs2003/1208mayr.asp 99 and still fighting God], 8th December, 2003 (Answers in Genesis).</ref> who stated the following:

Creation science also cites the evolutionist and [[atheism|atheist]] [[Ernst Mayr]]<ref>Matthews, Michael, [http://www.answersingenesis.org/docs2003/1208mayr.asp 99 and still fighting God], 8th December, 2003 (Answers in Genesis).</ref> who stated the following:

{{cquote|“It must be admitted, however, that it is a considerable strain on one’s credulity to assume that finely balanced systems such as certain sense organs (the eye of vertebrates, or the bird’s feather) could be improved by random mutations." <ref>[http://www.creationscience.com/onlinebook/ReferencesandNotes10.html In the Beginning: Compelling Evidence for Creation and the Flood], ''Center for Scientific Creation''</ref><ref>Find the full quote on [http://books.google.com/books?id=mAIjnLp6r_MC&pg=PA296&lpg=PA296&dq=Ernst+Mayr+1942+%22It+must+be+admitted,+however,+that+it+is+a+considerable+strain+on+one%27s+credulity+to+assume%22&source=bl&ots=TRDzBtumPF&sig=XwvnT327A9sn3Uvs0RLOaQNo5Zo&hl=en&ei=P6H6Te37LMSwhAf03fimAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBUQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false], starting from line 6.</ref> }}

{{cquote|“It must be admitted, however, that it is a considerable strain on one’s credulity to assume that finely balanced systems such as certain sense organs (the eye of vertebrates, or the bird’s feather) could be improved by random mutations." <ref>[http://www.creationscience.com/onlinebook/ReferencesandNotes10.html In the Beginning: Compelling Evidence for Creation and the Flood], ''Center for Scientific Creation''</ref><ref>Find the full quote on [https://books.google.com/books?id=mAIjnLp6r_MC&pg=PA296&lpg=PA296&dq=Ernst+Mayr+1942+%22It+must+be+admitted,+however,+that+it+is+a+considerable+strain+on+one%27s+credulity+to+assume%22&source=bl&ots=TRDzBtumPF&sig=XwvnT327A9sn3Uvs0RLOaQNo5Zo&hl=en&ei=P6H6Te37LMSwhAf03fimAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBUQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false], starting from line 6.</ref> }}

The March 2003 issue of ''Scientific American'' is also cited by creation scientists:

The March 2003 issue of ''Scientific American'' is also cited by creation scientists: