Dinosaur Myths
As scientists discover more fossils, and learn more about the age of the dinosaurs, some of the ideas first put forward on the “giant lizards” have themselves become extinct.
Some of these have been listed in this section:
1. What color were dinosaurs?
We don't really know as a fossil does not contain any pigments (skin color). The scientists base the Color's on today's reptiles and animals. The colors that are shown on dinosaur pictures are the scientists best guess.
There may come a time when science will be able to determine the dinosaurs Color's, but for now we can not be sure.
2. All dinosaurs have died out
Well not all the dinosaurs died out 65 million years ago.
Most dinosaurs were extinct long before the mass extinction event. But those that remained died out at that time. We still have dinosaurs around today in the form of the many bird species.
3. People did not coexist with the dinosaurs
There have been many films and books depicting cave dwellers hunting dinosaurs it is complete fiction. People evolve about 65 million years after the dinosaurs' extinction.
4. Mammals only evolved after dinosaurs died out
Tiny mammals lived in the shadow of the dinosaurs for more than 150 million years. The ancestors of mammals, called synapsids, actually appeared before dinosaurs.
Mammals remained relatively small until 65 million years ago. After the demise of the dinosaurs there was now room for larger mammals evolve. Most of the types of mammals we know today evolved after this time.
5. Dinosaurs died out because they were unsuccessful in evolutionary terms?
Dinosaurs survived for more than 150 million years, Homo sapiens date back no more than 200,000 years, so they cannot be considered unsuccessful. Dinosaurs lost the battle to survive after the extinction event.
6. Were marine reptiles - for example, plesiosaurs and ichthyosaurs dinosaurs?
No: Several types of marine reptiles evolved during the dinosaur age, but all true dinosaurs were terrestrial animals. Marine crocodiles, like other crocodiles, were closely related to the dinosaurs. So were large, extinct marine reptiles called plesiosaurs, pliosaurs, mosasaurs and ichthyosaurs.
7. Were dinosaurs slow?
No & Yes: It is believed that dinosaurs were not slow and most studies show that they were probably as fast as lions. Meat eating dinosaurs would have to be fast and active to catch their prey. On the other hand Plant eater would not need speed so they would probably be slow compared to the carnivores.
8. Were flying reptiles were dinosaurs?
No: Flying reptiles called pterosaurs first appeared just after the dinosaurs, and then died out at the same time as the dinosaurs. The largest grew to the size of a small aeroplane. However, while they were close relatives, they were not true dinosaurs.
9. Dinosaurs died out because mammals ate their eggs.
Dinosaurs coexisted with mammals for 150 million years. Most mammals of the time were probably too small to eat the eggs of large dinosaurs. It is believed that because nests were vulnerable, the most dangerous predators would probably have been smaller dinosaurs.
10. Is Archaeoraptor a dinosaur?
No "Archaeoraptor" was unveiled at a press conference held by National Geographic magazine in October 1999
The magazine claimed that the fossil was a "missing link" between birds and terrestrial theropod dinosaurs. Even prior to this publication there had been severe doubts about the fossil's authenticity. It led to a scandal when it was definitely proven to be a forgery through further scientific study. The forgery was constructed from rearranged pieces of real fossils from different species, and had been glued together by a farmer.
