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DinosaursDinosaurs are terrestrial reptiles that lived on Earth during the Mesozoic Era, from about 245 million to 66 million years ago. While humans have encountered fossilized dinosaurs for millennia, they were not identified as a group of extinct creatures until 1842. This sparked an interest in fossil hunting that has led to the discovery of about 1,000 species as of 2025—though scientific models suggest that as many as 500,000 species may have existed. Early dinosaurs' feather coats and ability to walk upright facilitated their adaptation to changing environments after two mass extinction events wiped out most other species, including their amphibious competitors. Research suggests dinosaurs exhibited many characteristics of modern-day animals, including herd-like social structures, varied diets, and visual and auditory communication. The age of dinosaurs ended when an asteroid larger than Mount Everest struck Earth in what is now the Yucatan Peninsula, producing a mass extinction event endured by small non-avian dinosaurs that evolved into today's birds.Explore Dinosaurs

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The Bone Wars turned paleontology into a rivalry fraught with public scandalOthniel Charles Marsh and Edward Drinker Cope were friends-turned-enemies competing for the glory of discovering dinosaurs. It became so intense that when Cope died, he donated his body to science to prove he had a bigger brain than Marsh. TED-Ed Paleontologists apply rules about rock layering, fossilization, and radioactivity to date geological samplesConcepts such as the understanding that older rock layers will form beneath newer ones allow scientists to compare the ages of samples from various layers. Although no geological site preserves evidence across all time, samples can be combined with fossils of known age, such as those dated by analyzing the decay of their radioactive isotopes, to reconstruct Earth's timeline. The Science of Everything Jefferson's Fossils - JSTOR Daily JSTOR Daily The moon is moving 3.8 centimeters farther away from Earth each yearDriven by tidal forces, the effect is minimal and slow, ensuring stable tidal patterns and lunar cycles. Earth's rotation slows down as the Moon gains orbital momentum, slowly lengthening the day over time. Space.com Watch animations of the creation and excavation of dinosaur tracksThe discovery of a dinosaur trackway in the UK emerged from a controlled explosion that removed limestone from an Oxfordshire quarry. The footprints provide unique insights into dinosaur behavior and movement, with marine fossils suggesting a lagoon-like environment. BBC The ancestors of ostriches and emus could flyThe discovery of a 56 million-year-old fossil bone helps explain how this (mostly) flightless family of birds spread to so many different continents. The Conversation As much as 35% of volcanic eruptions are accompanied by lightningColloquially referred to as "dirty lightning," the electrostatic discharge is fueled by the movement of volcanic ash and gases, which facilitate charge separation. The phenomenon was first described during Mount Vesuvius' eruption in 79 CE. ZME Science Measles evolved from an ancient cattle disease as early as 3,000 years agoGenetic analysis suggests that the closest modern relative of measles is a livestock virus known as rinderpest, with the viral strains diverging between 2,000 and 3,000 years ago. The timing coincided with the rise of major cities above 250,000 people, offering a novel transmission route for the newly mutated measles virus. UC Museum of Paleontology Dinosaur portrayals in film mistakenly limit them to only living in tropical climatesThe ancient creatures have been brought to life in cinema by combining animatronics and CGI. However, creative liberties have created misconceptions about dinosaurs for audiences, including that the Tyrannosaurus rex could not see stationary prey. Short Wave Millions of years of evolution produced dinosaurs with bizarre featuresThis list of the 17 weirdest dinosaurs includes a cross between a parrot and a porcupine, a dinosaur whose arms each ended with one finger, a vampire dinosaur, a dinosaur with wings on its legs instead of its arms, and a Harry Potter-inspired “dragon king of Hogwarts.” BBC Science Focus Magazine Dinosaurs ranged from the size of chickens to multistory buildingsThe largest known dinosaur, Argentinosaurus, was about 39 meters long and outweighed a Boeing 737. Species like Parvicursor and Epidexipteryx were less than 45 centimeters long, though the actual smallest dinosaur is likely lost to history. Visual Capitalist Some dinosaurs evolved night vision and acute hearing for nocturnal huntingPaleontologists analyzed the fossilized eye and ear structures of 16 theropods, finding that some had owl-like hearing and huge pupils. These characteristics are consistent with modern-day nocturnal species, including nightjars and geckos. The Conversation Fossilized bite marks suggest some dinosaurs may have engaged in cannibalismAn excavation site near the Colorado-Utah border contained Allosaurus bones with tooth marks of other Allosaurus, which may have occurred in response to a dry season in the area. The Tyrannosaurus and Majungasaurus have also been shown to eat their own. Smithsonian Magazine Herd behavior has been seen in 193-million-year-old dinosaur fossilsScientists excavated eggs, juveniles, and adult remains in Patagonia, all arranged by age group. The organization into structured groups may have contributed to evolutionary success by consolidating eggs in one location to make defending them easier. MIT News Dinosaur names have shifted from ancient languages to pop culture referencesEarly dinosaur names used Greek and Latin roots, often just attaching “-saurus” (lizard) to another word describing a notable trait. Over time, this convention has evolved to incorporate the names of where the discovery was made, local languages, and even celebrities. Smithsonian Magazine Richard Owen coined the term ‘Dinosauria’ to group three giant reptilesIdentifying similarities in the fossils of Megalosaurus, Iguanodon, and Hylaeosaurus, Owen surmised that they were all part of a broader group of large terrestrial reptile species. The name “Dinosauria” came from combining the Greek words for “fearfully great” (deinos) and “lizard” (sauros). Oxford University Museum of Natural History Civilizations of the past mistook dinosaur fossils for dead mythological creaturesWithout knowledge of evolution or extinction, people believed such fossils were the bones of massive animals no one had ever seen alive, including dragons and giants. It was not until the science of paleontology and studies of extinction that these ideas were overturned definitively. Big Think Birds are living dinosaurs that evolved from feathered theropodsTraits associated with birds, including feathers, laying eggs, and hollow bones, were first present in dinosaurs and carried through to their descendants. Fossils of these dinosaurs have been found in a sleeping posture, resembling roosting behavior. BirdLife International Spielberg submitted 'Schindler's List' and 'Jurassic Park' for college creditAfter dropping out at 21, Spielberg reenrolled as a student at California State University, Long Beach in 2001, and earned a paleontology credit for “Jurassic Park.” His final project for an advanced film studies course was “Schindler’s List,” which won the Academy Award for best picture nearly 10 years earlier. SlashFilm The story of Mary Anning, the pioneer of palaeontologySome of the earliest dinosaur fossils were discovered by a poor, long-ignored woman named Mary Anning in the early 19th century along England's southern coast. Anning's family lived near the coast where they sold some of the thousands of fossilized ammonites (the precursor to modern mollusks) easily found there. The intrepid amateur scientist would go on to find the first plesiosaur, pterosaur, and ichthysaur, specimens so uncategorizable the broader scientific community considered them fake at first. This image-rich scrollable biography of Anning's life depicts her sketches and findings in an easily accessible essay. Google Find where your favorite dinosaur lived on this interactive mapExplore the interactive Paleobiology Database through space, time, and taxonomy. Paleobiology Database Indigenous peoples found dinosaurs long before paleontologists didA comprehensive history of how far back in time humans began a historical review of paleontology and the national parks. National Park Service

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