Who Knows More About Dinosaurs?

2. What do you call a person who studies dinosaurs?

• An anthropologist
  Nice try, but you picked the wrong scientist! An anthropologist studies the development of humankind. Paleontologist is the right answer. Paleontologists study plant and animal fossils. Fossils are the only evidence we have today that dinosaurs ever existed.
• A paleontologist
  You know your dino-facts! Paleontologist is the right answer. Paleontologists study plant and animal fossils. Fossils are the only evidence we have today that dinosaurs ever existed.

  An anthropologist studies the development of humankind. A geologist studies the development of the Earth's crust.

• A geologist
  Nice try, but you picked the wrong scientist! A geologist studies the development of the Earth's crust. Paleontologist is the right answer. Paleontologists study plant and animal fossils. Fossils are the only evidence we have today that dinosaurs ever existed.

3. Some dinosaurs were carnivores -- meat-eaters. Others were herbivores -- plant-eaters. What type of food might have made a good meal for a plant-eating dinosaur?

• Pine needles
  Yum - you got it! Pine needles were actually found in the stomach of one dinosaur skeleton. Smaller plant-eating dinosaurs ate mostly shrubs. Taller dinosaurs fed on high branches and treetops. Dinosaurs couldn't have eaten grass and flowers because they didn't exist in the Mesozoic Era.
• Grass
  Nope. Dinosaurs couldn't have eaten grass or flowers because they didn't exist in the Mesozoic Era. Scientists know that dinosaurs ate pine needles. They actually found some in the stomach of one dinosaur skeleton. Smaller plant-eating dinosaurs ate mostly shrubs. Taller dinosaurs fed on high branches and treetops.
• Flowers
  Dinosaurs couldn't have eaten flowers or grass because they didn't exist in the Mesozoic Era. Scientists know that dinosaurs ate pine needles. They actually found some in the stomach of one dinosaur skeleton. Smaller plant-eating dinosaurs ate mostly shrubs. Taller dinosaurs fed on high branches and treetops.

4. Which modern-day creature is most like a dinosaur?

• Snake
  Nope. The small head and long neck of some dinosaurs look snake-like, but scientists think that the crocodile is a direct descendant of the dinosaurs. Crocodiles and dinosaurs have similar teeth and skull structures.
• Crocodile
  You got it! Scientists think that crocodiles are direct descendants of dinosaurs. Crocodiles and dinosaurs have similar teeth and skull structures.
• Elephant
  Nope. Elephants are big like many dinosaurs, but scientists think that the crocodile is a direct descendant of the dinosaurs. Crocodiles and dinosaurs have similar teeth and skull structures.

5. What natural disaster probably caused the extinction of dinosaurs?

• An asteroid
  Dino-mite! Scientists think an asteroid caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. When this asteroid hit the Earth, it created a gigantic dust cloud. This cloud blocked out the sun for three years. Without sunlight plants couldn't grow, and herbivorous dinosaurs had nothing to eat. Once they died, the carnivorous dinosaurs -- that usually ate other dinosaurs -- had nothing to eat either!
• A flood
  Nope. Scientists think an asteroid caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. When this asteroid hit the Earth, it created a gigantic dust cloud. This cloud blocked out the sun for three years. Without sunlight plants couldn't grow, and herbivorous dinosaurs had nothing to eat. Once they died, the carnivorous dinosaurs -- that usually ate other dinosaurs -- had nothing to eat either!
• A drought
  Nope. Scientists think an asteroid caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. When this asteroid hit the Earth, it created a gigantic dust cloud. This cloud blocked out the sun for three years. Without sunlight plants couldn't grow, and herbivorous dinosaurs had nothing to eat. Once they died, the carnivorous dinosaurs -- that usually ate other dinosaurs -- had nothing to eat either!