Volume 11, Number 6 October 31, 2003

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WHO KNEW?

Who knew

E-mail your quirky, comic or complex questions to: whoknew@usask.ca

Q: Does anyone ever dust the Tyrannosaurus Rex that's in the Geology Building?
                                         - A Dust Bunny

Dear Bunny

Yes, the T-Rex gets a twice-yearly going-over by Susan Johnson who is the technician in the Natural Sciences Museum (that's the official name for the collection of fish, birds, plants and dinosaurs in the Geology Building).

Susan explains that she duct-tapes a duster to a bamboo pole to extend her reach to about 12 feet. With that, she can dust all the way up to the T-Rex's shoulders from the base of the fibre-glass replica. She then troops up to the second floor where, despite a fear of heights, she reaches out over the railing to dust the head. But you'll have to be an early riser to get a glimpse of Susan at work. This is a job she tackles as early as possible in her day, as early as 6 a.m., "because I dust every part of him and that can get pret- ty interesting". With her duster on a pole, Susan can clean all but one of the models in the museum. The one she can't reach is the pteranodon that hangs over the triceratops. To dust him requires a private contractor with a lift truck.

And in the broom cupboard, next to her duster, Susan keeps a pair of long tweezers. These she uses to remove copies of the Red Eye that mysteriously find their way into the T-Rex's mouth.


For more information, contact communications.office@usask.ca


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