Philosophy
What is it about dinosaurs that fascinate kids? A former colleague argued that kids like to have imaginary friends who are bigger than and can eat Daddy. Dinosaurs provide a sort of power balance. My thought was that dinosaurs provide a seemingly make-believe world that you are allowed to believe in. Then there's the possibility that is is left over marketing reverberations from "Land of the Lost" days. The fact that the most popular dinosaur is Tyrannosaurus Rex seems to support the first surmise. I know there are different things that attract different people, but for most kids, what's the attraction?
By the way, if you are ever Tucumcari, New Mexico, there's a great dinosaur museum associated with the local community college. Very well done, lots to see. The kids loved it. (Extra credit for the first person to name a song with "Tucumcari" in it.)
- T. Rex Has Company
"Meet the newly discovered dinosaur that even tyrannosaurs were afraid of" by Lance Tillson November 23rd, 2013 National Monitor Researchers from The Field Museum, the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences (NCMNS) and North Carolina State University...
- Nanotyrannus Forever In Combat
An artist's rendition. "A Fossil Shows Dinosaurs Permanently Locked In A Fight" by Sarah Jacoby October 31st, 2013 Popular Science This month, two fossilized dinosaurs, locked in eternal battle, will be auctioned off at Bonhams in New York City....
- Robert Bakker..."dino"mite Ideas
Robert Bakker is an American paleontologist who was the first to prove that dinosaurs were warm blooded and have more in common with birds than cold-blooded lizards. He is an outspoken a maverick and holds controversial opinions about the dinosaurs that...
- Charles R. Knight...father Of Dinosaur Art
Charles Robert Knight October 21st, 1874 to April 15th, 1953 Yesterday I mentioned Rudolph F. Zallinger's "The Age of Reptiles" and should have made note of Charles Knight, the father of "dinosaur art" who was born October 21st, 1874. Bill Ashworth...
- Bambiraptor Purloined For Bucks
This is not good, but not new. Remember Sue the T. Rex? Sue Hendrickson, amateur paleontologist, discovered the most complete (more than 90%) and, until 2001, the largest, Tyrannosaurus fossil skeleton known in the Hell Creek Formation near Faith, South...
Philosophy
Why Do Kids Love Dinosaurs?
What is it about dinosaurs that fascinate kids? A former colleague argued that kids like to have imaginary friends who are bigger than and can eat Daddy. Dinosaurs provide a sort of power balance. My thought was that dinosaurs provide a seemingly make-believe world that you are allowed to believe in. Then there's the possibility that is is left over marketing reverberations from "Land of the Lost" days. The fact that the most popular dinosaur is Tyrannosaurus Rex seems to support the first surmise. I know there are different things that attract different people, but for most kids, what's the attraction?
By the way, if you are ever Tucumcari, New Mexico, there's a great dinosaur museum associated with the local community college. Very well done, lots to see. The kids loved it. (Extra credit for the first person to name a song with "Tucumcari" in it.)
- T. Rex Has Company
"Meet the newly discovered dinosaur that even tyrannosaurs were afraid of" by Lance Tillson November 23rd, 2013 National Monitor Researchers from The Field Museum, the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences (NCMNS) and North Carolina State University...
- Nanotyrannus Forever In Combat
An artist's rendition. "A Fossil Shows Dinosaurs Permanently Locked In A Fight" by Sarah Jacoby October 31st, 2013 Popular Science This month, two fossilized dinosaurs, locked in eternal battle, will be auctioned off at Bonhams in New York City....
- Robert Bakker..."dino"mite Ideas
Robert Bakker is an American paleontologist who was the first to prove that dinosaurs were warm blooded and have more in common with birds than cold-blooded lizards. He is an outspoken a maverick and holds controversial opinions about the dinosaurs that...
- Charles R. Knight...father Of Dinosaur Art
Charles Robert Knight October 21st, 1874 to April 15th, 1953 Yesterday I mentioned Rudolph F. Zallinger's "The Age of Reptiles" and should have made note of Charles Knight, the father of "dinosaur art" who was born October 21st, 1874. Bill Ashworth...
- Bambiraptor Purloined For Bucks
This is not good, but not new. Remember Sue the T. Rex? Sue Hendrickson, amateur paleontologist, discovered the most complete (more than 90%) and, until 2001, the largest, Tyrannosaurus fossil skeleton known in the Hell Creek Formation near Faith, South...