NOVA: Arctic Dinosaurs
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Trek through Alaska to explore how dinosaurs once thrived in polar regions. Aired July 27, 2011 on PBS.
Apr 18, 2012 9:01 AM
Re: NOVA: Arctic Dinosaurs
Every video with somebody screaming "Fire in the hole!" gets 5 stars from me!
Re: NOVA: Arctic Dinosaurs
Hah! The return of DeK!
If Pod made her way back here, I knew you would also.
If Pod made her way back here, I knew you would also.
By: spam_vigilante
Re: NOVA: Arctic Dinosaurs
They did mention at least one species of arctic dinosaur that may have been feathered, but using conventional wisdom is it that great of a leap to say all these species mentioned in the film were feathered? If they lived in harsh winters, they would still have needed protection of some sort, wouldn't they? I can't think of any cold weather animals, birds or mammals, that do not have significant fur or feathers.
Perhaps (and now I'm taking quite a leap), cold weather dinosaurs are what created the evolutionary catalyst for the transition to birds.
Perhaps (and now I'm taking quite a leap), cold weather dinosaurs are what created the evolutionary catalyst for the transition to birds.
By: the_monk
Re: NOVA: Arctic Dinosaurs
Feathers are only one evolutionary "strategy". One could also consider something akin to blubber or fat, or perhaps a thick outer skin with limited sensitivity to temperature; the skin "strategy" would have the added benefit of making them a little more able to survive predators.
Nonetheless, this was a facinating program, and it gives us much to consider as far as how we see a lot of things. I don't even think it's quite such a big leap to consider the possibility that perhaps some raptor species in modern bird life might have evolved from some of those feathered species adapting to the various climatic changes over the eons.
Nonetheless, this was a facinating program, and it gives us much to consider as far as how we see a lot of things. I don't even think it's quite such a big leap to consider the possibility that perhaps some raptor species in modern bird life might have evolved from some of those feathered species adapting to the various climatic changes over the eons.
By: Stone1
Re: NOVA: Arctic Dinosaurs
Yeah, the blubber/fat idea is something that came to me after I posted that. It might make sense since you see that in the marine mammals of the arctic.
But since we do know that dinosaurs became feathered animals, so I wouldn't be surprised if what I suggested was somewhat correct.
But since we do know that dinosaurs became feathered animals, so I wouldn't be surprised if what I suggested was somewhat correct.
By: the_monk
