What People Want to Know About Dinosaurs

My Favorite Dinosaur Questions

What sounds did the dinosaurs make? We've all heard the dinosaurs in movies roaring. The truth is, we do not know if they made sounds at all. Some scientists, basing their speculations on cavities found in some dinosaur skulls, believe that some dinosaurs might have had a voice. What do you suppose a dinosaur would sound like? Why? Why would a dinosaur make a sound?

What colors were the dinosaurs? From the fossil remains, we have no way of knowing. Dinosaurs may have had as wide a range of colors as modern reptiles with special coloration for camouflage and display. Looking at images of dinosaurs, think about how scientists and artists use color in their portrayals of dinosaurs. Why do you think modern animals ended up with the colors that they have?

Did all dinosaurs look alike? Dinosaurs came in a wide range of shapes as well as sizes. Look, for instance, at the various shapes of the necks, legs, and tails. Dinosaurs are grouped by such characteristics. How many different kinds of dogs can you think of? How different to they look?

How do you tell the males from the females? The truth is, we cannot. Remember, all that we know definitely about dinosaurs is what we can find in the fossils. Not many distinctive features of males and females would be fossilized, and there is a special problem. Consider guppies, the common aquarium fish. It can be difficult to believe that the little brightly colored males and the larger, drab females are the same kind of fish. Imagine that thousands of years later, the remains of those fish were found. A paleontologist (a scientist who studies ancient plants and animals) might well be forgiven for identifying two different species, one about twice the size of the other. Some scientists believe that the more extravagant horns, tusks, and crests of some dinosaurs might have been secondary sexual characteristics, rather than characteristics of different species. Parasaurolophus might have blown air through its crest; if so, the sound might have figured in courtship, or the crest itself might have been part of a visual display.