As children, many of us had a fascination with dinosaurs. However, as we grow up, that interest tends to fall to the wayside. It makes sense that we now get most of our knowledge about dinosaurs from different forms of entertainment.
There is something exciting about watching a movie that brings prehistoric and deadly animals back to life through special effects. But are these depictions accurate? Here are things movies tend to get wrong about dinosaurs.
Dinosaurs Had Feathers
When we think of dinosaurs, we tend to imagine giant, scaly lizards that send a shiver down our spine. It might surprise you that dinosaurs may have resembled Big Bird more than giant lizards. Their claws, skeletal system, teeth, and bony tails are bird-like. That is why paleontologists hypothesize that dinosaurs had feathers due to their many similarities to birds today.
Interestingly, the idea that dinosaurs had feathers is not necessarily new in the scientific field. Scientists as far back as the 1800s noted the similarities between birds and dinosaurs.
Velociraptor Depiction
Did you know you could pick up a velociraptor and carry it around? You might have assumed it would be the other way around, but that is incorrect. Velociraptors were actually about the size of a Thanksgiving turkey. Their depiction in popular media takes more after a genus of dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur known as the Dromaeosaurus.
The Dromaeosaurus is a fascinating dinosaur whose name translates to “running lizard.” Their build is heavier, and they look much more like what we consider a Velociraptor to look like. However, Velociraptor is much easier to pronounce and strikes a little more fear.
Humans As Prey
You have seen a movie scene where a large bird-like dinosaur, such as a Pterosaur, grabs a helpless human and takes off with them. While this type of scene is something movies rely on to create a sense of excitement and fear, this is one of the main things movies tend to get wrong about dinosaurs. The diet of these dinosaurs tended to consist of much smaller meals like tinier animals. A human would be too large and heavy for most dinosaurs to take off with. So, consider yourself safe if you ever see a Pterosaur in the wild!