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"A subset of the scientific-documentary-as-thriller tradition epitomized by The Cove and Blackfish, Dinosaur 13 is both awe-inspiring and tragic." – Indiewire
Based on the book Rex Appeal: The Amazing Story of Sue, the Dinosaur That Changed Science, the Law and My Life, Todd Miller's Dinosaur 13 recounts author Peter Larson's involvement in the one of greatest palaeontology discoveries in history, and the subsequent legal battle between the fossil hunters, the FBI and the freeholders.
It was a David-versus-Goliath-style fight that began when Larson's team of volunteers uncovered the world's most complete T-Rex skeleton, dubbed Sue (after the woman who made the initial discovery). But the scientists' elation was short-lived: the FBI and National Guard crashed their party with claims Sue had been stolen from federal property; with a Native American group and the landholder also claiming ownership, the palaeontologists' plan to boost the local community with a natural history museum was under threat.
Miller charts the resulting, unprecedented, custody case with an emotionally engaging eye, producing a dramatic, timely tale of science versus politics that is as relevant today as ever.