Cut a dinosaur bone in half and you can find microscopic growth rings, much like a tree!
If you’re like me, you’ve spent a good deal of time pondering about the way in which Dinosaurs grow. If you’re not like me, then that thought has probably never crossed your mind.
A recent study, published in a February issue of Science, analyzed the bones of over 40 different dinosaur species, to study how fast dinosaurs grow. In the past, it’s been largely accepted that faster growth = larger size. However, recent evidence has come out to say that this isn’t the only factor, and that it’s less prevalent than previously thought.
By analyzing the thin lines within dinosaur bones at a microscopic level, researchers were able to determine that dinosaurs of relatively the same size grew at different rates. While some took a long time to reach their size, others did so with relative quickness.
I’d talk about it more in-depth, but others have already written about it with much greater skill and insight than I ever could, so if you want to read more, feel free to read some of them.
Personally, I find this interesting because I happen to draw a dinosaur comic called The Forgotten. In coming up with the story and setting for the comic, I have had to do a lot of research, and one of the complaints I’ve heard in the past, is that it would be unrealistic for Dinosaurs to grow to the size depicted in my comic. How would the plant eater dinosaurs manage to grow so large with so many carnivorous dinosaurs around? They would have had to grow fast, right? In order to accommodate such growth, wouldn’t the island have to be HUGE? And if the island is HUGE, how come it has never been discovered before? (Etc, etc…)
Well, I’m happy to say that, thanks to this research, The Forgotten has stood the test of time and shown itself to be a totally credible scenario! Rest assured that everything has been fact checked and it has shown itself to be a veritable well of information!
Maybe I should change the title?
The Forgotten: A Dinosaur Memoir
This blog post originally appeared in the 2nd issue of The Dino Crew. The Dino Crew is a free, monthly e-newsletter. You can find out more information and sign up for future issues HERE.
