I saur dino mistake at Natural History Museum
Expert Charlie, 10, praised by bosses
A DINOSAUR-mad 10-year-old spotted an error in a display at the Natural History Museum.
Charlie Edwards, who has Asperger’s, realised a silhouette image labelled as an oviraptor, a small carnivore with a beak, was in fact the sheep-sized herbivore protoceratops. Bosses confirmed the blunder and told Charlie, who has wanted to be a palaeontologist since he was three, they will correct it.
He noticed the embarrassing mix-up during the Dino Snores for Kids sleepover event at the site in South Kensington, West London, with parents Justin and Jade, both 29.
Charlie said: “I saw the side-byside comparison to a human and it had the names.
“The name was not right – the name they had was oviraptor but the dinosaur silhouette showed what was most likely a protoceratops.
“I knew from reading my books it was not right so I told my mum and dad.”
Jade added: “Charlie said ‘That’s wrong’ and I said, ‘What do you mean?’. He said, ‘This part here is not right that’s not an oviraptor’. I said to him, ‘This is the Natural History Museum’. He was adamant though.”
A museum volunteer suggested Jade, from Canvey Island, Essex, email experts there to check.
They were delighted to get a response a few days later confirming Charlie, whose favourite dinosaur is the giganotosaurus, was indeed right. Jade, who also has sons Ronnie, nine, and Albie, five, said: “They sent him a lovely letter.
“We should have realised he would have been right, he loves his dinosaurs. I am proud.
“Charlie tends to find a subject he loves and tries to learn so much about it, so it’s nice he’s been able to show what he’s learnt and that knowledge base. He was beaming from ear to ear.”
A spokesman for the Natural History Museum said: “The Museum was recently made aware of a mistake in one of our dinosaur galleries. We will change this as soon as possible.”
They added: “We are very impressed with Charlie’s knowledge and hope his passion for palaeontology continues.”