The Truth About Killer Dinosaurs
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The Truth About Killer Dinosaurs is a two-part BBC documentary, presented by Bill Oddie, in which a group of scientists test out the strength of dinosaur weaponry using biomechanics. The first episode detemines the winner of a battle between Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops, and second compares the strength of an Ankylosaurus and Velociraptor.
The programmes were broadcast on BBC 1 in July and August of 2005.
Contents |
[edit] Episodes & Evidence
These are the episodes and the evidence revealed in them.
[edit] Tyrannosaurus VS Triceratops
[edit] Tyrannosaurus
- Evidence of head injuries on Triceratops indicates Tyrannosaurus attacked living Triceratops
- Using a steel Tyrannosaurus skull, scientists learned that Tyrannosaurus could crush a car
- Scientists learn that Tyrannosaurus could run at 32 mph tops
- Scanning an endocast from Tyrannosaurus's skull, scientists theorize Tyrannosaurus acted like a bird and was smart
- Tyrannosaurus had good vision, and a good sense of smell
- Tyrannosaurus could bite through bone, at a bite force of 4 tons per square inch
[edit] Triceratops
- Doing a crash test with an artificial Triceratops skull, made of resin, scientists learn that Triceratops probably didn't charge at predators, for its skull would likely break
- Triceratops likely gored its predators
- Triceratops was slower than (15 mph) Tyrannosaurus, but more agile
- Triceratops likely didn't have time to think
[edit] Outcome
An even match. In the episode, Triceratops managed to kill Tyrannosaurus.
[edit] Velociraptor VS Ankylosaurus
[edit] Velociraptor
- Velociraptor was only the size of a turkey
- Velociraptor had feathers
- A robotic Velociraptor leg provides evidence that Velociraptor didn't disembowel its prey
- The fossil of a Velociraptor fighting a Protoceratops shows that the Velociraptor pierced the neck of its prey
- Velociraptor's "wings" were used for balance and agility, like an ostrich
- Velociraptor's teeth were useful weapons
- Velociraptor hunted in packs
- Teeth of this dinosaur were found among its victims
- The biomechanical claw provides evidence that the Velociraptor couldn't penetrate the Ankylosaurus's armour, when tested on a crocodile skin, it would break
[edit] Ankylosaurus
- Ankylosaurus armour was similar to a crocodile's, though much much tougher
- Young crocodiles have no armour, especially on the neck. Baby Ankylosaurus were probably similar
- A robotic Ankylosaurus tail shows that the tail club could break wood and bone with ease, along with the Velociraptor
- This dinosaur's armour and club was used on a much bigger threat than Velociraptor, eg: Tarbosaurus
[edit] Outcome
The Ankylosaurus would win, although Velociraptor could easily kill young Ankylosaurus.
[edit] Minor Appearances
[edit] Tarbosaurus
- Tarbosaurus appears in the second episode briefly, fighting the Ankylosaurus, and losing.
- It was related to Tyrannosaurus, and had the same bite force, which was still not enough to break the herbivore's armor.
- The top predator in the Mongolian plains.
[edit] Protoceratops
- Appears briefly, fighting two Velociraptor, and losing. The fight based on the famous Fighting Dinosaurs fossil, but because there were two Velociraptor, the ending was quite different from the fossil version. The Velociraptor are later shown to kill a baby Ankylosaurus in the same way as they killed the Protoceratops.
- Its beak and bony head were powerful weapons, but because of its small size, Protoceratops was on the menu of many Mongolian predators.
