Peter Larson

Article summary

Peter Lars Larson (born 1952) is an American commercial fossil collector and researcher who is head of the Black Hills Institute of Geological Research, which specializes in the excavation, preparation, mounting, and replication of fossils. He led the team that excavated "Sue", one of the largest and most complete specimens of Tyrannosaurus rex, which was the subject of a legal dispute resulting in its seizure and public auction. In 1996, Larson was convicted of customs violations related to failing to declare money he had brought from overseas, and served 18 months in prison. He has published scientific and popular works on dinosaur paleontology. Larson has been criticized by some paleontologists for his commercial enterprises and support of private collections.

Key claims

1. date of birth: 1952 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
2. date of foundation: 1974 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
2. The record states that the date of birth is "1952". What evidence would count against this claim?
3. The record states that the date of foundation is "1974". What evidence would count against this claim?
4. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
5. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1378689629