The Truth About Velociraptors
TLDRIn this enlightening video, Solomon Whistler dispels common misconceptions about velociraptors perpetuated by Hollywood. Contrary to the portrayal in Jurassic Park, velociraptors were not larger than humans but were closer in size to a domestic turkey, with a height of about three feet and a length of six feet, most of which was their tail. They also had feathers, making them resemble unusual-looking birds rather than reptilian creatures. The video also clarifies that velociraptors were not pack hunters and were likely solitary creatures, and they were not found in the United States but in Central Asia, particularly Mongolia. While they were considered somewhat intelligent for dinosaurs, their intelligence was not on par with the smartest dinosaurs like the Troodon. The video humorously suggests that a velociraptor's cognitive abilities were more akin to that of a domestic turkey. The script also discusses the Deinonychus, a larger relative of the velociraptor, which is thought to have hunted in packs and was more likely to possess feathers. The name 'Velociraptor' was chosen by paleontologist Henry F. Osborn in 1924, and recent evidence from a 2007 fossil discovery supports the theory that velociraptors had feathers.
Takeaways
- 🦖 Hollywood's depiction of velociraptors is misleading; they were not as large as portrayed, being only about three feet tall and six feet long.
- 🦃 Velociraptors were similar in appearance to a turkey, complete with feathers, which challenges the reptilian look commonly associated with them.
- 🕊️ Velociraptors are now believed to have been feathered, much like birds, with similarities including wishbones, brooded nests, hollow bones, and feather coverage.
- 🧐 There is no evidence to suggest velociraptors were pack hunters; instead, they are believed to have been solitary creatures.
- 🇲🇳 The famous 'fighting dinosaurs' fossil, which shows a Velociraptor and a Protoceratops locked in combat, supports the idea of solitary hunting.
- 📍 Contrary to Jurassic Park, velociraptors were not found in the United States but rather in Central Asia, around Mongolia.
- 🧠 While considered somewhat intelligent for a dinosaur, velociraptors' intelligence was likely on par with a domestic turkey, not the highly intelligent creatures depicted in films.
- 🦅 The Deinonychus, a larger relative of the velociraptor, was used as the model for the Jurassic Park 'Velociraptor', and it is thought to have occasionally hunted in packs.
- 🏞️ The Deinonychus habitat was the forests of North America, contrasting with the velociraptor's Asian origins.
- 🏵️ The name 'Velociraptor' comes from Latin, meaning 'swift robber', and was named by paleontologist Henry F. Osborn in 1924 after its discovery in Mongolia.
- 🔍 Recent evidence from a 2007 discovery confirmed the presence of feathers in velociraptors, with the finding of a fossil showing quill knobs similar to those in birds.
Q & A
What is the common misconception about the size of velociraptors perpetuated by Hollywood?
-Hollywood, particularly in 'Jurassic Park', has depicted velociraptors as slightly bigger than a human, but in reality, they were only a bit bigger than a domesticated turkey, being about three feet tall and six feet long.
How did velociraptors actually look like, and what modern animal do they resemble?
-Velociraptors looked somewhat like turkeys, complete with feathers. They were covered in feathers and had features such as wishbones and hollow bones, making them more similar to birds than reptiles.
What is the evidence suggesting that velociraptors were not pack hunters?
-Every fossil found of velociraptors has indicated that they were solitary creatures. The famous fossil where a velociraptor was found in the act of attacking a Protoceratops showed no evidence of other velociraptors, which would be expected if they hunted in packs.
Where were velociraptors actually found, contrary to the Jurassic Park depiction?
-Contrary to the depiction in 'Jurassic Park', where velociraptors were found in Montana, United States, they have only been discovered in Central Asia, around Mongolia.
How intelligent were velociraptors compared to other dinosaurs?
-Velociraptors were thought to be somewhat intelligent due to their brain size relative to their body size. However, the Troodon is considered to have been the smartest of all dinosaurs, thought to be as intelligent as a primitive possum.
What is the estimated intelligence level of velociraptors in comparison to modern animals?
-The intelligence level of a velociraptor is suggested to be on par with that of a domestic turkey, which is slightly more intelligent than a board with a nail in it, as humorously noted by Dr. Alan Grant in 'Jurassic Park 3'.
What dinosaur was the 'Velociraptor' character in Jurassic Park actually based on?
-The 'Velociraptor' in Jurassic Park was actually based on the Deinonychus, which was significantly larger, about 12 feet long, 6 feet tall, and weighed about 150 pounds.
Were there any indications that the Deinonychus, unlike the velociraptors, might have hunted in packs?
-Yes, the Deinonychus was thought to have occasionally hunted in packs to bring down larger prey, and they were known to be very fast.
What is the origin of the name 'Velociraptor'?
-The name 'Velociraptor' comes from the Latin 'velox' meaning swift, and 'raptor' meaning robber or plunderer. It was chosen by paleontologist Henry F. Osborn in 1924 after he discovered the fossil in Mongolia.
When did the evidence suggesting that velociraptors had feathers come to light?
-The evidence that velociraptors had feathers came from a discovery in September 2007 of a fossil with quill knobs, similar to those found on birds, providing strong evidence of their feathered nature.
What is the significance of the discovery of quill knobs in a velociraptor fossil?
-The discovery of quill knobs in a velociraptor fossil is significant because it provides direct evidence that these dinosaurs had feathers, supporting the theory that there is little difference between birds and their dinosaur ancestors.
How does the public's perception of velociraptors compare to the scientific understanding based on the script?
-The public's perception, largely influenced by Hollywood depictions, is that velociraptors were larger, reptilian, pack-hunting, and highly intelligent creatures. However, scientific understanding, based on fossil evidence, indicates that they were smaller, more bird-like, solitary, and less intelligent than commonly believed.
Outlines
🦖 Hollywood's Misrepresentation of Velociraptors
Solomon Whistler introduces the video by addressing the common misconceptions about velociraptors perpetuated by Hollywood, particularly in the Jurassic Park series. The video aims to debunk the myths and present the actual characteristics of velociraptors. It clarifies that velociraptors were not the large, pack-hunting reptiles as depicted, but rather were about the size of a turkey, with feathers, and were solitary hunters. The video also corrects the geographical origin of velociraptors, which were found in Central Asia, not the United States, and discusses the intelligence of these dinosaurs, comparing it to that of a domestic turkey.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Velociraptor
💡Hollywood Depictions
💡Fossil Reptiles
💡American Museum of Natural History
💡Wishbones
💡Hollow Bones
💡Feathers
💡Solitary Creatures
💡Protoceratops
💡Central Asia
💡Deinonychus
💡Intelligence
💡Paleontologist
Highlights
Velociraptors were only a bit bigger than a domesticated turkey, being about three feet tall and six feet long.
They weighed around 20 to 30 pounds and had most of their length in the tail.
Velociraptors had feathers, making them look somewhat like a turkey.
There is no evidence suggesting that velociraptors hunted in packs; they were likely solitary creatures.
The only known velociraptor fossil showing a hunting behavior was found with a Protoceratops, indicating a solitary hunt.
Contrary to Jurassic Park, velociraptors were not found in the United States but in Central Asia around Mongolia.
Velociraptors were considered somewhat intelligent for a dinosaur due to their brain size relative to body size.
The Troodon is thought to be the smartest dinosaur, with an intelligence level comparable to a primitive possum.
The depiction of velociraptors in Jurassic Park was actually based on the Deinonychus, which was significantly larger.
Deinonychus, like velociraptors, were thought to have feathers and occasionally hunted in packs.
The Deinonychus was faster and inhabited the forests of North America.
The name 'Velociraptor' comes from Latin, meaning 'swift robber', and was chosen by paleontologist Henry F in 1924.
Recent evidence from a 2007 discovery suggests that velociraptors had feathers with quill structures similar to birds.
Velociraptors are more closely related to birds than previously thought, sharing many characteristics such as wishbones, brooding behavior, hollow bones, and feathers.
If velociraptors were alive today, they would likely be perceived as very unusual-looking birds rather than reptiles.
The intelligence of velociraptors was likely on par with that of domestic turkeys, not as highly intelligent as Hollywood suggests.
The video provides a correction to the common misconceptions about velociraptors perpetuated by popular media like Jurassic Park.
Velociraptor fossils have been found in Mongolia, not Montana as depicted in Jurassic Park.
Transcripts
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