Palaeontologist Reacts To Jurassic Park Dinosaurs
TLDRIn this insightful video, paleontologist Joe from the Natural History Museum in London and the University of Bath offers a detailed critique of the Jurassic Park trilogy's portrayal of dinosaurs. He addresses inaccuracies such as the T-Rex's vision, the size and behavior of the Velociraptor, and the depiction of the Dilophosaurus. Joe also discusses the challenges of paleontological excavation, the likelihood of dinosaur pack behavior, and the maternal instincts observed in some species. Despite the inaccuracies, he appreciates the films for their impact on the field and their role in inspiring further research. The video serves as a testament to how our understanding of dinosaurs evolves with ongoing scientific discovery.
Takeaways
- 🦕 The portrayal of dinosaurs in the Jurassic Park films, while iconic, contains several inaccuracies based on current paleontological understanding.
- 🤚 Dinosaurs like the T-Rex had wrists that could not twist in the manner depicted in the films to open doors.
- 👀 T-Rex is known to have had some of the best vision among animals, contrary to some scenes implying it relied on movement to see.
- 🔍 Fossil excavation is a much more laborious process than depicted in the films, often involving chipping away at dense rock rather than simply brushing away sand.
- 🦴 Complete dinosaur skeletons, like the one found in the film, are extremely rare; paleontologists typically find isolated bones or partial remains.
- 🐕 The size of the Velociraptor in the films is exaggerated; they were closer in size to a dog and were likely feathered.
- 🦖 The Brachiosaurus and other sauropods are depicted as larger than recent findings suggest, although they were indeed some of the largest dinosaurs.
- 📚 The debate over whether dinosaurs were cold or warm-blooded is largely considered settled in favor of them being warm-blooded, with size potentially influencing their metabolism.
- 🎶 The sounds and noises made by dinosaurs in the films are speculative; soft tissue like vocal chords are not preserved in the fossil record.
- 👶 The social and maternal behaviors of dinosaurs, such as caring for eggs and young, are inferred from fossil evidence like nests and eggsites.
- 🌱 The film's depiction of a peaceful coexistence between different dinosaur species is unlikely; territorial and predatory behaviors would have prevented such harmony.
Q & A
What is one of the misconceptions about the T-Rex's vision mentioned in the script?
-The T-Rex was thought to have poor vision and rely on movement to spot prey, but recent findings suggest it had some of the best sight in the animal kingdom with well-developed vision-processing areas in its brain.
How does the script describe the process of excavating fossils?
-The script explains that excavating fossils is not as easy as brushing away sand. It involves chipping away at dense rock with tools like hammers and chisels, and typically, only isolated bones or parts of skeletons are found, not complete specimens.
What is the actual size of a Velociraptor according to the paleontologist?
-Contrary to the depiction in Jurassic Park, a Velociraptor was not a six-foot tall creature. It was more like the size of a dog, about a meter and a half long, and would have been fully feathered.
What is the paleontologist's view on the portrayal of the Brachiosaurus in Jurassic Park?
-The paleontologist does not specifically critique the size of the Brachiosaurus but mentions that some debate exists over what it represents. However, it is acknowledged as a warm-blooded creature, contrary to the portrayal in the film.
How does the script address the issue of dinosaur behavior and pack hunting?
-The script suggests that while there is no fossil evidence of certain behaviors like pack hunting, it is reasonable to infer that some dinosaurs, like the Velociraptor, may have hunted in packs and displayed complex social behaviors.
What is the paleontologist's opinion on the Spinosaurus' portrayal in Jurassic Park?
-The paleontologist points out that recent research indicates the Spinosaurus was likely mostly aquatic, eating fish, and would not have been a direct rival to the T-Rex on land as depicted in the film.
How does the script discuss the issue of dinosaur eggs and parental care?
-The script mentions that there is evidence of dinosaurs, specifically raptor-like species, caring for their eggs after laying them, including sitting on the nest to warm the eggs, indicating advanced levels of parental care.
What is the paleontologist's stance on the use of the name 'Velociraptor' in Jurassic Park?
-The paleontologist acknowledges that while the name 'Velociraptor' may not be entirely accurate for the depicted creature, which is more similar to a Utah Raptor, the filmmakers likely chose the name because it sounded cool.
What does the paleontologist think about the T-Rex's bite force?
-The paleontologist believes that the T-Rex had one of the strongest bite forces of any animal that ever lived, capable of delivering a powerful bite and ripping parts off its prey.
How does the script describe the Dilophosaurus?
-The script points out that the Dilophosaurus in Jurassic Park is either depicted as a juvenile or its size is inaccurately portrayed, as it was actually about 20 feet long and a top apex predator in the Jurassic period.
What is the paleontologist's view on the depiction of the Procompsognathus?
-The paleontologist does not provide specific critique on the Procompsognathus, but mentions it as one of the smallest dinosaurs, likely covered in feathers, and a predator that would feed off scraps, insects, and smaller lizards.
How does the script address the issue of dinosaur sounds and vocalizations?
-The script mentions that the noises made by the T-Rex in the film are a combination of animal roars and mating calls, but in reality, dinosaurs likely made more of a cooing, low bass rumble, as they did not have vocal chords as we know them.
Outlines
🦖 Dino-Door Dilemma: Accuracy in Jurassic Park's Depiction
Paleontologist Joe discusses inaccuracies in the Jurassic Park trilogy, particularly the unrealistic portrayal of dinosaurs opening doors with their wrists. He also corrects misconceptions about the size and appearance of the velociraptor, explaining that they were much smaller and likely feathered. Joe also touches on the discovery of a complete velociraptor skeleton, which would be a significant find in paleontology, and the warm-blooded nature of dinosaurs, contrasting with the cold-blooded portrayal in the film.
🦕 T-Rex's Vision and Bite: Apex Predator Insights
Joe elaborates on the T-Rex's superior vision and the powerful bite force, which would have made it an apex predator. He dispels the myth of the T-Rex's vision being movement-based and explains that standing still would not have saved potential prey. The discussion also covers the T-Rex's jaw muscles and the likelihood of its diet consisting of large prey, as well as the iconic sounds attributed to the T-Rex, which are speculative due to the lack of fossil evidence regarding vocalizations.
🐉 Dilophosaurus and Velociraptor Behavior: Fact vs. Fiction
The paragraph addresses the portrayal of the dilophosaurus, which is either depicted as a juvenile or inaccurately sized, as it was much larger in reality. Joe also discusses the lack of evidence for venomous capabilities in dinosaurs. The behavior of velociraptors opening doors is questioned, as it's unlikely they could manipulate their wrists in such a manner. The raptors' pack behavior and communication are explored, with a comparison to modern predator behavior, and the mention of their acute senses.
🌱 Life's Adaptability: Herding and Nesting in Dinosaurs
Joe talks about the social behaviors of dinosaurs, such as herding and nesting, which are inferred from fossil evidence. He mentions the discovery of egg sites and the care that dinosaurs likely took in nurturing their young. The paragraph also discusses the territorial nature of dinosaurs and the potential for conflict between different species. Joe also comments on the portrayal of the spinosaurus, noting that recent research suggests it was primarily aquatic and not a direct rival to the T-Rex as depicted in the film.
🎥 Jurassic Park's Legacy: Balancing Art and Science
In the final paragraph, Joe reflects on the impact of the Jurassic Park films and how they have inspired generations while also reflecting the scientific knowledge of the time. He acknowledges the rapid pace of paleontological discoveries and the challenge of creating an accurate portrayal of dinosaurs that would not quickly become outdated. Despite inaccuracies, Joe appreciates the films for their special effects and the excitement they bring to the subject of dinosaurs.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Paleontologist
💡Jurassic Park Trilogy
💡Fossil
💡Velociraptor
💡Sauropod
💡Cold-blooded vs Warm-blooded
💡T-Rex
💡Dilophosaurus
💡Pack Behavior
💡Spinosaurus
💡Maternal and Paternal Instincts
Highlights
Dinosaurs could not twist their wrists to open doors as depicted in the movie.
T-Rex had some of the best sight in the animal kingdom, contrary to the 'vision based on movement' myth.
Fossil excavation is much more laborious than depicted, involving chipping away at rock rather than brushing away sand.
A complete velociraptor skeleton, as shown in the film, would be a career-defining discovery for a paleontologist.
The size of the velociraptor in Jurassic Park is inaccurate; they were closer to the size of a dog.
The dinosaur in the film that resembles a velociraptor is more likely a Utah raptor, based on size and claw characteristics.
Brachiosaurus and other sauropods are shown to be of impressive size, reflecting the real-world challenges of moving such massive fossilized bones.
The debate on whether dinosaurs were cold or warm-blooded has largely been settled in favor of the latter.
The T-Rex's vocalizations in the film are speculative; real dinosaur sounds are unknown but likely more like a low rumble.
Dilophosaurus is depicted as smaller than its actual size, which was around 20 feet long.
There is no evidence that dinosaurs could spit venom or had a frill, as shown in the film for the Dilophosaurus.
The portrayal of velociraptors opening doors is inaccurate due to their wrist structure.
The noises made by the raptors in the film are more accurate, resembling honking and hissing sounds.
Pack behavior of velociraptors, as shown hunting in the film, is a reasonable assumption based on their predatory nature.
Procompsognathus, a small dinosaur, is likely to have been feathered and a predator of small insects and scraps.
The film shows advanced care for young dinosaurs, which aligns with evidence of nesting and parental care.
The Spinosaurus is inaccurately portrayed as a land predator rivaling the T-Rex; it was likely mostly aquatic.
Jurassic Park films, despite inaccuracies, have inspired generations and contributed to the advancement of paleontology.
Transcripts
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