My oral cavity DROPPED at the true size of a velociraptor .
We’ve seen them inDinosaur,Jurassic Park, andThe Land Before Time, but how much do youreallyknow about dinosaurs?
After speaking with paleontologist Dr. Kenneth Lacovara, I can honestly say — I didn’t know as much as I thought! I mean, did you know dinosaurs likely didn’t roar or that they still have living descendants today? What about the actual size of a velociraptor? There’s more, too. From the speed of a T-Rex to a pterosaur’s extensive wingspan, here are more fascinating dinosaur facts you probably didn’t know.
For context , Dr. Lacovara has discovered some of Earth ’s bombastic dinosaur , including the monolithic Dreadnoughtus fromJurassic existence — he even look up on earlyJurassicfilms . This audience was lead during a press trip to Mantua , New Jersey , to tourEdelman Fossil Park & Museum , which Dr. Lacovara founded and opened on March 29 . It has been edited for length and clarity .
1.Velociraptors weren’t as big and threatening as you think.
2.Hadrosaurs were EXTREMELY dangerous.
3.T-Rex had exceptionally good eyesight, despite what movies may have made you think.
4.But while you might not be able to outrun a T-Rex, you probably could out-maneuver one.
5.Some dinosaurs were precocial — meaning they were self-sufficient almost immediately after birth.
6.The oldest known dinosaur is theNyasasaurus, which lived roughly 237 million years ago.
7.Sorry, but pterosaurs are not dinosaurs.
8.Pterosaurs were the first creatures to fly that were bigger than a bug. The largest had a wingspan of 36 feet — roughly the size of a small plane.
9.It’s likely that dinosaurs didn’t roar — they probably grumbled or whistled.
10.Birdsaredescended from dinosaurs.
11.Troodon were among the most intelligent dinosaurs.
12.Dreadnoughtus would use its massive body weight to crush prey.
13.But of course, not all dinosaurs existed at the same time.
14.Many animals, including frogs, turtles, sharks, clams, and fish lived millions of years before dinosaurs.
15.And contrary to what you may have heard, oil does NOT come from them.
16.Evidenceshowsvelociraptors had feathers — not scales like you’ve seen in the movies.
17.Fossilized dinosaur poop is called coprolite.
18.Some dinosaur species could swim.
19.The colors we’ve seen attributed to dinosaurs are completely fabricated.
20.Smaller dinosaurs, however, were probably very colorful.
21.In 2004, paleontologistsfoundthe skull of what was believed to be a new dinosaur species. It was named Dracorex hogwartsia, a nod to theHarry Potterbooks, and is known for its dragon-like head. But according to Dr. Lacovara, “there’s convincing research that shows that Dracorex is really just a juvenile Pachycephalosaurus.”
22.Spinosaurus fossils are among the hardest to find. Paleontologists first discovered them in the early 1900s — sadly, those fossils were later destroyed in a bombing.
23.Dinosaurs didn’t roar at their food.
24.You can’t de-extinct a dinosaur.
25.The asteroid event that caused dinosaurs to become extinct made global surface temperatures rise as hot as a toaster or pizza oven.
26.Finally, the largest creature on Earth after the asteroid event was likely badger-sized.
And be sure to check outEdelman Fossil Park & Museum , which feature dinosaur reconstructions , resilient beast exhibits , a dig experience at the backyard target ( where 1000 of fossils have already been unearth ) , and more !
