Dinosaurs present unequaled potential to combine significant science with meaningful public outreach. The Visible Dinosaur project addresses both missions by integrating the results of previous NSF-funded research by the PIs with new studies to restore the head anatomy of numerous dinosaurs in an engaging 3D virtual computer environment. The time is right for this ambitious project: anatomical studies are now so advanced that reliable inferences can be made about dinosaur noses, ears, eyes, brains, muscles, blood vessels, nerves, and skin, and, moreover, the technology is now available to analyze it all simultaneously in 3D. The Visible Dinosaur is the first effort to view all anatomical systems together in an integrated, rigorous manner within an interactive 3D virtual environment for anything other than perhaps humans. Huge amounts of 3D data will be generated, archived, and disseminated, representing a significant contribution to cyberinfrastructure. Dinosaur science will have a new benchmark, permitting a new level of scientific sophistication. The project will attract diverse scientists to lend their expertise, fostering new collaborative research networks. The Visible Dinosaur project is innovative in integrating public outreach into its core, using Web 2.0 implementations (YouTube, Facebook, blogs, etc.), mainstream media (news releases, TV/radio documentaries), and plain-language video treatments of primary research. The Visible Dinosaur will benefit society by exploiting interest in dinosaurs to talk meaningfully to a very broad audience about evolution, biology, scientific methods, and the value of science generally. From this initial project, it is hoped to build an even broader network of scientists, educators, media arts professionals, and even policymakers to realize the full potential of the Visible Dinosaur.
