# Awesome huge snake fossil discovered in Colombia. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 4, 2009, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/awesome-huge-snake-fossil-discovered-in-colombia/484447 "2009-02-04T18:00:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/awesome-huge-snake-fossil-discovered-in-colombia/484447/1 "2009-02-04T18:00:25Z")
> [@](#): > > Titanoboa was 13m (42ft) long - about the size of a London bus - and lived in the rainforest of north-east Colombia 58-60 million years ago. > > The snake was so wide it would have reached up to a person’s hips, say researchers, and was estimated to have weighed more than a tonne. [Link.](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7868588.stm) How cool is that?! ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/awesome-huge-snake-fossil-discovered-in-colombia/484447/2 "2009-02-04T18:35:28Z")
I can’t wait to work this, “snake palaeothermometry”, into a conversation. Yet how that might happen seamlessly I haven’t a clue. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/awesome-huge-snake-fossil-discovered-in-colombia/484447/3 "2009-02-04T18:36:52Z")
{{shudder}} Thanks for that. I think. {{shudder}} It is fascinating! {{shudder}} _twitches_ ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/awesome-huge-snake-fossil-discovered-in-colombia/484447/4 "2009-02-04T18:38:40Z")
I predict this will be a movie fairly soon. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/awesome-huge-snake-fossil-discovered-in-colombia/484447/5 "2009-02-04T18:56:57Z")
This is what I don’t understand. I the snake were 42 feet long and as wide-thick as [the pics & description indicate](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29014818/) it would have to weigh several tons not a mere 2500 lbs. ---
**Author:** ![Tupug\_Anachi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@Tupug\_Anachi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tupug_Anachi)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/awesome-huge-snake-fossil-discovered-in-colombia/484447/6 "2009-02-04T19:47:44Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I predict this will be a movie fairly soon. “I’ve had it with these MFing snakes in this MFing museum!!!” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/awesome-huge-snake-fossil-discovered-in-colombia/484447/7 "2009-02-04T19:48:00Z")
I appreciate the level-headed tone of the BBC story. Here in the US, the headline reads, “Ancient fossil find: This snake could eat a cow!” [Seriously](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090204/ap_on_sc/sci_monster_snake). ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/awesome-huge-snake-fossil-discovered-in-colombia/484447/8 "2009-02-04T19:50:31Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I predict this will be a movie fairly soon. _Snakes On A Jumbo Jet_ ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/awesome-huge-snake-fossil-discovered-in-colombia/484447/9 "2009-02-04T20:16:18Z")
Nobody’s made the huge penis joke yet? ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/awesome-huge-snake-fossil-discovered-in-colombia/484447/10 "2009-02-04T20:40:51Z")
I guess “don’t have a cow” is inappropriate for this beastie. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/awesome-huge-snake-fossil-discovered-in-colombia/484447/11 "2009-02-04T20:50:10Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > Nobody’s made the huge penis joke yet? Todd from Scrubs will be by shortly. (heh, he said 'shortly") ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/awesome-huge-snake-fossil-discovered-in-colombia/484447/12 "2009-02-04T21:06:09Z")
42 foot long, only 2500 lbs? Scientist have FINALLY proven that ancient claim. That snake wasnt FAT, it was just big boned 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/awesome-huge-snake-fossil-discovered-in-colombia/484447/13 "2009-02-04T21:21:32Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I predict this will be a movie fairly soon. " I am tired of these Mother\*\*\*%^$&\* planes on these Mother\*\*%\*(# snakes !! “” :eek: E.T.A.: Damn you, **Hal**!! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/awesome-huge-snake-fossil-discovered-in-colombia/484447/14 "2009-02-04T21:31:07Z")
I’m having trouble with those dimensions, too. “Up to your hips” is ambiguous, but let’s work with it a sec. I just measured in my bare feet. From the ground to the point of my hip bone is 44". I’m a big guy (6’4" tall), so let’s scale that. a 5’8" person is 89% of my height, so if the proportions are the same, that would be a bit over 39" to the hipbone. That’s about an inch of thickness for each foot of “height” on the snake: the equivalent of a four foot snake being four inches high at its thickest point. I’ve handled a lot of snakes, but I’ve never encountered one with that kind of dimensions (unless it just ate). ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/awesome-huge-snake-fossil-discovered-in-colombia/484447/15 "2009-02-04T22:14:58Z")
This story is AWESOME Big friggen snakes…hoo ha! ---
**Author:** ![Mbossa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@Mbossa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mbossa)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/awesome-huge-snake-fossil-discovered-in-colombia/484447/16 "2009-02-04T23:03:18Z")
I liked the bit in the article where they diss those puny little green anacondas that reach a “mere” 250kg (550lbs). Take that, you pathetic midget snakes! ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/awesome-huge-snake-fossil-discovered-in-colombia/484447/17 "2009-02-05T01:36:29Z")
> [@Mbossa](#): > > I liked the bit in the article where they diss those puny little green anacondas that reach a “mere” 250kg (550lbs). Take that, you pathetic midget snakes! On the other hand, it’s not the anacondas faults. They shrank in the wash. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/awesome-huge-snake-fossil-discovered-in-colombia/484447/18 "2009-02-05T02:36:46Z")
“My titanboa don’t want none 'less you’re one ton, hon.” ---
**Author:** ![SuntanTigerTamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@SuntanTigerTamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanTigerTamer)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/awesome-huge-snake-fossil-discovered-in-colombia/484447/19 "2009-02-05T05:31:28Z")
> [@Rysdad](#): > > “My titanboa don’t want none 'less you’re one ton, hon.” \ ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/awesome-huge-snake-fossil-discovered-in-colombia/484447/20 "2009-02-05T22:45:43Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > 42 foot long, only 2500 lbs? > > Scientist have FINALLY proven that ancient claim. > > That snake wasnt FAT, it was just big boned 🙂 No, it was fat. But you can tell it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/awesome-huge-snake-fossil-discovered-in-colombia/484447.md?page=2)