Delve into these fast facts about dinosaurs for kids of all ages. Discover why the Tyrannosaurus had sharp teeth, where the name &#;dinosaur&#; comes from, and more!
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Paleontologists are like detectives who examine the evidence that extinct animals left behind. Those clues to what dinosaurs were like are found in fossils&#;the ancient remains of an organism, such as teeth, bone, or shell&#;or evidence of animal activity, such as footprints and trackways.
Everything we know about non-avian dinosaurs is based on fossils, which include bones, teeth, footprints, tracks, eggs, and skin impressions. For centuries, people throughout the world have discovered amazing fossilized bones and footprints. Early finds inspired legends and fairy tales, as people imagined that these bones belonged to giants or huge monsters.
Some consider Barnum Brown, who began his career at the American Museum of Natural History in , to be one of the greatest dinosaur hunters of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He began his career at the American Museum of Natural History in . Many of his greatest discoveries, including the first specimens of Tyrannosaurus rex ever found, are on display in the Museum&#;s dinosaur halls.
Today, in addition to patience and sharp observation skills, paleontologists employ new technologies to solve unanswered questions about dinosaurs and other fossils. Advanced imaging technology, such as CT scans, allow paleontologists to see the three-dimensional structure of fossils, often without having to remove the matrix.
Paleontologists incorporate the research of biomechanics, applying the principles of both physics and engineering to reconstruct the biological movement of non-avian dinosaurs. The information gleaned from fossil bones along with observations of both the movement and the musculature of living animal species help scientists model how non-avian dinosaurs may have moved.
The earliest known dinosaurs appeared during the Triassic Period (approximately 250 to 200 million ago). Dinosaurs evolved into a very diverse group of animals with a vast array of physical features, including modern birds.
Contrary to what many people think, not all dinosaurs lived during the same geological period. Stegosaurus, for example, lived during the Late Jurassic Period, about 150 million years ago. Tyrannosaurus rex lived during the Late Cretaceous Period, about 72 million years ago. Stegosaurus was extinct for 66 million years before Tyrannosaurus walked on Earth.
During the Mesozoic Era (a period of more than 180 million years that included the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods), a species of non-avian dinosaur evolved into a species of avian dinosaur. This avian dinosaur is the first bird and the forerunner of all birds. Every non-avian dinosaur went extinct 66 million years ago.
There are several theories as to what may have contributed to the mass extinction of non-avian dinosaurs and other species at the end of the Cretaceous Period. It is certain that a massive asteroid or comet struck Earth during this time, causing a dramatic shift in Earth&#;s climate. Some scientists speculate that this impact had catastrophic consequences for life on Earth. But other factors, including changing sea levels and large-scale volcanic activity, may also have played a significant role in this mass extinction.
Paleontologists looking for dinosaur fossils begin their work by surveying areas to find sedimentary rock from the Mesozoic era. Finding the right spot takes experience and a keen eye.
Fieldwork is only a small part of what paleontologists do. They also work in the lab, examining the specimens they&#;ve found as well as fossils collected years earlier. They spend a lot of time classifying specimens, examining their characteristics, and determining their biological relationships.
Most theropod dinosaurs, such as Tyrannosaurus, had teeth that were pointed, slightly curved backwards, and serrated. The sharp points pierced the meat, and the serrations helped slice it by catching and tearing muscle fibers. Meat eaters didn&#;t chop or grind their food; they swallowed chunks whole.
Plant-eating dinosaurs had teeth of various shapes designed for their particular diets. Triceratops, for example, had hundreds of teeth that formed a solid &#;wall&#; with sharp ridges. The teeth were used to chop off vegetation. Other plant eaters, such as Anatotitan, had wide flat teeth that they used to grind up tough vegetation. The long-necked dinosaurs, such as Diplodocus, had long pencil-like teeth that they used to rake the leaves off branches. These dinosaurs swallowed the leaves whole. They also ingested small stones, called gastroliths, most likely to grind up the food in their stomachs, much the same way modern birds, such as parakeets and chickens, do today.
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From an individual footprint, scientists can estimate the height of the dinosaur that made it. A rough estimate of leg length is obtained by multiplying the print length by four.
A footprint can also provide clues about the kind of dinosaur that made it. A three-toed, sharp-clawed print means the footprint-maker was likely a theropod&#;usually a carnivore. A three-toed print with rounded toes probably belonged to an ornithopod dinosaur&#;an herbivore. And pairs of unequal-sized prints were most likely the work of the four-legged, long-necked, long-tailed dinosaurs called sauropods, another group of herbivores.
Modern birds, or avian dinosaurs, have skeletal features that are almost identical to some non-avian dinosaurs.
Feathers evolved before flight and may have functioned as insulation to keep dinosaurs warm, or for display as a way to attract mates.
Students explore the size of dinosaurs by measuring out the length of a Tyrannosaurus in the classroom, and then compare and contrast its size to that of the classroom, model dinosaurs, other types of dinosaurs and themselves.
Timing
30-45 minutes
More than 1 000 species of dinosaur are known from fossil evidence, ranging in size from small bird-like dinosaurs that were less than 1 m (~3&#;) to huge long-necked sauropods that reached lengths of 40 m (~130&#;) or more. Some dinosaurs (including all meat-eating dinosaurs) walked on two legs. The rest walked on four legs. Some ate plants, others ate meat. Many dinosaurs had humps, plates or spikes on various parts of their bodies. Some dinosaurs had feathers covering parts of their bodies, while others had scales.
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The largest known dinosaur is believed to be Argentinosaurus. That&#;s a long-necked sauropod that scientists believe could reach a length of 40 m (130&#;) and a mass of up to 100 tonnes (100 tons). It is likely that dinosaurs even larger than Argentinosaurus lived, but not enough fossil bones have been found to make a reliable estimate. Only a few bones (usually vertebrae) have been found of these animals.
The skeletons of dinosaurs are the best indicators we have as to their sizes and shapes. Aside from the bones themselves, markings on the bones can show where muscles and tendons were attached. This can help palaeontologists to &#;flesh out&#; the animal. But skeletons do not tell the whole picture of what an animal looks like. The skeletons of some animals, such as whales, look very different from the live animals, and it would be difficult to accurately determine their shape just by looking at their skeletons.
This inquiry provides opportunities for students to develop their observation and comparing and contrasting skills as they explore the size of dinosaurs. It is recommended that students have completed the What is a Dinosaur? inquiry before doing this inquiry.
As students examine dinosaur models and measure out the length of a life-sized Tyrannosaurus rex they will be able to compare the actual size of a dinosaur with the size of their classroom, their own size, as well as other familiar objects. This opportunity for comparison will help students develop an understanding of the size and scale of dinosaurs. By extending this learning task to examine the size of other types of dinosaurs, students will gain an appreciation for the diversity of these extinct creates that once roamed the Earth.
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