5 Cool Facts About Dinosaurs You Should Know
SciShow・2 minutes read
Pterodactyls are not dinosaurs due to not being land-dwelling, with birds evolving from two-legged land-based dinosaurs. Studies suggest that dinosaurs were Mesotherms with some possessing feathers, while petroleum used for plastics originates from ancient ocean floors, not dinosaur remains.
Insights
- Pterosaurs, such as Pterodactyls, are distinct from dinosaurs due to their flying nature and lack of land-dwelling characteristics, highlighting the diversity of prehistoric creatures during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.
- Ongoing research and discoveries in paleontology indicate that the understanding of dinosaurs' metabolism, evolution, and population remains dynamic, with new findings challenging conventional theories and shedding light on the complex history of ancient life forms beyond just dinosaurs.
Get key ideas from YouTube videos. It’s free
Recent questions
What defines a dinosaur?
Land-dwelling reptile descended from Archosaurs.
Did birds evolve from pterosaurs?
No, birds evolved from two-legged land-based dinosaurs.
What is Mesothermy in dinosaurs?
A middle ground between cold-blooded and warm-blooded.
Where does petroleum used for plastics originate?
Ancient ocean floors, not dinosaur remains.
How many undiscovered dinosaur species are estimated?
Less than 30% of the estimated 1,850 genera.
Related videos
Summary
00:00
"Pterosaurs: Flying reptiles ruling prehistoric skies"
- Blake de Pastino is the editor-in-chief of SciShow and co-host of PBS Eons, a series on natural history and science.
- The official definition of a dinosaur includes being a land-dwelling reptile descended from Archosaurs.
- Pterodactyls, although often mistaken for dinosaurs, are not dinosaurs due to specific characteristics like not being land-dwelling.
- Pterosaurs, previously called pterodactyls, were flying reptiles that ruled the skies during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.
- Birds did not evolve from pterosaurs but from two-legged land-based dinosaurs that survived the mass extinction event.
- Feathers on dinosaurs have been discovered in fossils, with some species having simple feathers for warmth or attracting mates.
- The presence of feathers on some dinosaurs, like Velociraptors and possibly Tyrannosaurus Rex, has been confirmed through fossil evidence.
- The debate on whether dinosaurs were cold-blooded or warm-blooded led to the discovery of Mesothermy, a middle ground between the two.
- Recent studies have analyzed growth rings in dinosaur bones to determine their metabolic rates, suggesting they were Mesotherms.
- Soft tissue, including red blood cells, has been found in dinosaur fossils, offering new insights into their metabolism and potentially resolving the warm-blooded/cold-blooded debate.
12:35
"Petroleum, Plastics, and Dinosaur Discoveries"
- Petroleum used for plastics originates from ancient ocean floors, not dinosaur remains, where vast microorganisms, plants, and animals existed. Some of this biomass forms marine snow, accumulating on the seafloor to create organic goo, which transforms into oil and natural gas due to time, pressure, and heat.
- Plastic production primarily involves natural gas, not just oil, with hydrocarbon gas liquids being a key precursor derived from petroleum refining. These compounds, condensed from natural gas, are crucial in the chemical reactions for plastic production, making up a significant portion of the plastic manufactured in the United States.
- Scientists have been estimating the number of undiscovered dinosaur species, using statistical methods to predict Earth's dinosaur population. By focusing on the abundance or scarcity of known genera, researchers have calculated that less than 30% of the estimated 1,850 dinosaur genera have been discovered as of 2006.
- The rate of dinosaur discoveries has increased significantly, with an average of 15 new genera being identified annually. Projections suggest that between 2037 and 2056, 50% of all dinosaur genera will likely be found, leading to a decline in discoveries over time. By 2200, it is anticipated that only a few genera will remain, becoming increasingly challenging to locate.
- While statistical estimates predict a decline in dinosaur discoveries post-2200, the timeline only pertains to dinosaurs, excluding other ancient life forms like pterosaurs, Mosasaurus, and mammals. The Golden Age of dinosaur discovery may conclude, but numerous fossils will continue to be unearthed for an extended period, with the presence of bird relatives ensuring ongoing discoveries in the field of paleontology.
