Stuff You Should Know Selects: What Were the BONE WARS?
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Aug 30, 2025 Dive into the wild world of 19th-century paleontology as two rivals, Marsh and Cope, battle over dinosaur discoveries. Their fierce competition led to chaotic excavations, financial shenanigans, and even a few blunders in fossil mounting. Discover how their ambitious antics shaped modern paleontology and sparked a renewed interest in dinosaurs among children. The rivalry not only entertained but also drove scientific progress during a tumultuous time in history. It's a story of ambition, betrayal, and the pursuit of prehistoric glory!
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Rivalry Sparked America's Dinosaur Craze
- The Bone Wars began from a bitter rivalry between Othniel C. Marsh and Edward D. Cope that ignited public interest in dinosaurs.
- Their feud shaped American paleontology's tone and publicity during the late 19th century.
Backstabbing At Haddonfield
- Marsh visited Cope's Haddonfield dig, then later bribed Cope's workers to send fossils to him instead.
- That betrayal marked the end of their friendship and began escalating hostilities.
The Head-On-The-Tail Humiliation
- Cope mounted Elasmosaurus with the skull at the wrong end and rushed to buy journal copies to hide the error.
- Marsh publicly mocked the mistake, deepening the personal feud between them.
