20 Things You Didn’t Know About Dinosaurs.
You may not believe it, but dinosaurs never existed.
A new study suggests that dinosaurs were invented by atheists to destroy the validity of the Bible. I’m kidding.
Here are 20 real facts about dinosaurs you may not believe either.
Fact 1) Some paleontologists believe that Sauropods and some other herbivorous dinosaurs swallowed stones because they helped them with food digestion.
Fact 2) The biggest dinosaur footprints ever discovered are 1.7 meters or 5.5 feet long and belong to a sauropod from Australia.
Fact 3) The smallest known nonavian dinosaur is a theropod named Epidexipteryx hui. It had a length between 25 and 30 cm (or 10-12 inches).
Fact 4) Sauropods are the longest dinosaurs, reaching 33–34 meters or 108–112 feet in length. Paleontologists discovered a Vertebra that is 1.37 meters (or 4.5 feet) long and belongs to a sauropod, indicating that some individuals were even longer. A Barosaurus with a 1.37 meters long Vertebra might reach a size of 48 meters or 157 feet, making it the longest known dinosaur.
Fact 5) The fastest dinosaurs were, with an estimated speed of 60 mph, likely ornithomimid dinosaurs, a group of dinosaurs resembling ostriches. Another fast runner was Compsognathus, with an estimated 40 mph. Animals like the T-Rex were, because of their heavy weight, not fast runners at all.
Fact 6) The stegosaurus had the smallest brain of all dinosaurs compared to its body size. It was just the size of a walnut.
Fact 7) A fossil found in Germany was initially identified as a plesiosaurus because it was found in a quarry where there was a sea 180 million years ago. Later, a paleontologist recognized that it was the fossil of a sauropod, which was probably dragged through the sea by carnivores.
Fact 8) Paleontologists discovered the fossil remains of a dinosaur close to fossiled eggs and assumed it died while trying to steal the eggs of other dinosaurs. They named it “Oviraptor,” meaning “Egg thief.” Later discovered fossils and further research suggest that the Oviraptors were brooding parents, caring for their eggs and nestlings, and not egg stealing monsters. They probably died trying to defend their nests from threats.
Fact 9) Scientists suggest that some dinosaurs, especially sauropods, lived for over 100 years because it takes time to grow that big. The blue whale, for instance, has a lifespan of 110 years, and it takes 10-15 years until they are fully grown.
Fact 10) Spinosaurus is the only known dinosaur that lived in the water. It was with a length of 16-17 meters or 55 feet, the biggest known carnivorous dinosaur. Animals like plesiosaurs and mosasaurs who lived in the water are not classified as dinosaurs.
Fact 11) Quetzalcoatlus was the biggest known Pterosaur and one of the biggest flying animals that ever lived! Its wingspan was about 12 meters (almost 40 feet). It had a small head and tiny teeth and probably ate fish or squid. It lived in what’s now North America, 72 – 66 million years ago.
Fact 12) Dinosaurs roamed the earth for over 160 million years.
Fact 13) There is a popular belief that Dilophosaurus was a venom-spitting dinosaur, thanks to a particular dinosaur movie from the nineties – but it wasn’t! At least there’s no evidence to support this. However, it is possible that one of its ancestors had a venomous bite. Who knows? But if you ever meet one of these dinosaurs, trust me, they won’t spit acid into your face. Dilophosaurus had no neck frills either.
Fact 14) Not all dinosaurs lived during the same period. Tyrannosaurus Rex, for instance, lived 68–66 million years ago. Brachiosaurus lived 150 million years ago. Those two dinosaurs never met.
Fact 15) Dinosaurs are often portrayed as aggressive, dangerous beasts, but most dinosaurs were in fact herbivores and spent most of their day eating plants.
Fact 16) Paleontologists have identified over 900 dinosaur genera and more than 1,000 species, birds not included.
Fact 17) The blue whale is bigger than almost all known dinosaurs. Only some giant sauropods like the Argentinosaurus were longer than the blue whale.
Fact 18) The longest dinosaur name is Micropachycephalosaurus, which is quite ironic because Micropachycephalosaurus is with a size of less than 100 cm or 3 feet the smallest member of the Pachycephalosauria group.
Fact 19) Archaeopteryx is believed to be the link between dinosaurs and modern birds. It was a feathered animal with hollow bones, a beak full of sharp teeth, and could fly. Scientists believe Archaeopteryx wasn’t a good flyer and could only fly short distances.
Fact 20) Dinosaurs evolved around 250 million years ago after a mass extinction event wiped out as much as 90% of all species on earth. They evolved from earlier reptiles (so-called Archosaurs) who survived the extinction event.