The world knows the legendary “dinosaur” as being the cold-blooded, cold-hearted killer. In modern times, the dinosaur is feared due to the way it is portrayed as a killer antagonist in such films as “Jurassic Park”. However, new evidence suggests that dinosaurs may not have been “cold blooded” at all. Studies have shown that old evidence taken on dinosaur bones was in-fact wrong, and now scientists are saying that it is more likely dinosaurs were in-fact warm blooded, just like birds and mammals, The Daily Mail reports.
Scientists once believed that the fact that animals had no distinct rings on their bones indicated that they were cold blooded. They once believed this to be proof, but new studies show the bones of animals, whether warm blooded or cold blooded alike, may or may not have any markings at all. This means that old evidence which “proves” that dinosaurs were cold blooded is obsolete, simply because there is no evidence to show that bone markings can indeed prove that an animal was cold blooded or warm blooded at all.
People often see and refer to dinosaurs as reptiles. Reptiles, such as snakes and lizards, are cold blooded, meaning that they cannot warm up their body without external help. This is why lizards and snakes have the tendency to be diurnal and use the power of the sun to warm their bodies. Again, this is why snakes and lizards are often seen basking in the sun on rocks; not for pleasure, but to warm their bodies and stay alive. Birds however are warm blooded, meaning they do not need to bask in the sun to keep warm as their bodies generate their own heat. Considering the facts that studies prove that dinosaurs were more like birds than lizards, could this prove that the gigantic animals of old were indeed warm blooded?
This is not the first time that dinosaurs have been compared to birds. It is now widely believed that many species of modern bird did indeed evolve from the dinosaurs of old, or at least, are their descendants in some way. The raptor for example, which is from the cretaceous period, has characteristics which pretty much prove that it was an ancient bird-like creature. Similarly, more recent studies have shown that even the mighty “King of the dinosaurs”, the T-Rex had bird-like features and its descendant today is known as the “chicken”.
Dinosaurs are essential to mankind when it comes to using science to unlock the doors to the past. When it comes to deciphering the codes that our ancestors left us, and revealing the true stories behind the bones of these ancient animals that come complete with peculiar DNA codes that are eerily similar, giant-size codes of the animals that walk the earth today, it seems to be that only science can point its complex finger in the right direction. With new evidence constantly breaking down barriers in regards to myths and legends about the dinosaurs that roamed the earth millions of years ago, will the questions of the past one day be answered?
