Bone Wars

E930709

Bone Wars was a fierce late 19th-century rivalry between American paleontologists Othniel Charles Marsh and Edward Drinker Cope that led to the rapid discovery and description of numerous dinosaur fossils in the western United States.

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Observed surface forms (1)

Surface form Occurrences
Bone Wars fossil-hunting competition 1

Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf historical event
paleontological rivalry
scientific conflict
cause competition for dinosaur fossil discoveries
professional rivalry
country United States of America
surface form: United States
describedIn biographies of Edward Drinker Cope
biographies of Othniel Charles Marsh
histories of American paleontology
endTime 1890s
field paleontology
followedBy more systematic paleontological expeditions in the American West
hasConsequence creation of many type specimens in U.S. museums
increased public interest in dinosaurs
long-term taxonomic confusion for some dinosaur groups
hasEffect damaged reputations of both Marsh and Cope
destruction of some fossil material
expansion of knowledge of North American dinosaurs
rapid description of dinosaur fossils
rapid discovery of dinosaur fossils
hasMainParticipants Edward Drinker Cope NERFINISHED
Othniel Charles Marsh NERFINISHED
hasPart Marsh–Cope rivalry NERFINISHED
involves accusations of fossil destruction
accusations of fossil theft
dinosaur fossil excavation
hiring of competing field crews
naming of new dinosaur genera
priority disputes over species names
secretive excavation practices
location western United States NERFINISHED
mainDiscoveryLocation Canon City, Colorado NERFINISHED
Como Bluff, Wyoming NERFINISHED
Dakota Territory fossil sites
Garden Park, Colorado NERFINISHED
Morrison Formation NERFINISHED
notableFor intense personal animosity between rival scientists
large number of new dinosaur taxa described
use of unethical tactics in fossil collecting
participant Edward Drinker Cope NERFINISHED
Othniel Charles Marsh NERFINISHED
publicationVenue American Journal of Science NERFINISHED
Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia NERFINISHED
relatedTo Gilded Age science in the United States
history of paleontology
startTime 1870s
timePeriod late 19th century

Referenced by (3)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Como Bluff associatedWith Bone Wars
Othniel Charles Marsh knownFor Bone Wars
this entity surface form: Bone Wars fossil-hunting competition