Morocco, memory of the earth exhibition opens in Paris

Princess Lalla Hasna, sister of King Mohammed VI, opened in Rabat Wednesday the exhibition "Morocco, Memory of the Earth" at the Natural History Museum displaying as a world premiere the "Atlas Giant" (Atlasaurus Imelakel).

The mid-jurassic 165 million year-old dinosaur discovered in the late 70s in the Azilal region is one of the oldest and largest saurians ever unearthed.

After a yearlong of digging, a group of Moroccan and foreign scientists unearthed five tons of fossils that were treated for five years in Rabat to restore the skeleton of the colossus which weighed alive 22,5 tons and was 18 meters wide.

The event which is part of "Moroccan Times in France" activities will boost geological tourism in Morocco, initiation to environment protection and lead to the opening of an "Earth Science Museum" in Morocco.

Premier Lionel Jospin, cabinet members and experts from different countries attended the opening of the major scientific event.