DINO -S.T.E.A.M.
LAB
An interactive paleontology mission to uncover the secrets of the prehistoric world. Your adventure starts now.
Dinosaur Database
Access the research files on these incredible creatures. Hover over a card to reveal its data.
T. REX
Tyrannosaurus Rex
One of the largest land carnivores of all time. Its powerful jaws could deliver a bite force of over 12,800 pounds, enough to crush bone. Despite its fearsome reputation, its arms were tiny, less than 3 feet long.
TRICERATOPS
Triceratops
A large herbivore known for its massive frill and three facial horns. It was like a prehistoric tank, weighing up to 12 tons. The horns were likely used for defense against predators like T-Rex and for combat between males.
VELOCIRAPTOR
Velociraptor
Despite movie portrayals, Velociraptors were only about the size of a turkey. They were intelligent, feathered predators that likely hunted in packs, using a large, sickle-shaped claw on each foot as a deadly weapon.
Journey Through Time
Triassic
Jurassic
Cretaceous
The Great Extinction
Around 66 million years ago, the age of dinosaurs came to a sudden and catastrophic end. The most widely accepted theory for this mass extinction is the impact of a massive asteroid, estimated to be about 6 miles (10 kilometers) wide. It struck the Earth in what is now the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, creating the giant Chicxulub crater. The impact was so powerful it would have been like billions of atomic bombs going off at once.
The immediate effects were devastating, with giant tsunamis, widespread wildfires, and a massive shockwave. However, the long-term effects were even deadlier. Dust and debris were thrown into the atmosphere, blocking out the sun for months or even years. This "impact winter" caused global temperatures to plummet, killing off plants and leading to the collapse of food chains. This event wiped out about 75% of all species on Earth, including all non-avian dinosaurs.
From Fossils to Facts
Paleontologists are like detectives who study the past. They use fossils—the preserved remains of ancient life—to piece together the story of dinosaurs. When a dinosaur died, if it was buried quickly in sand or mud, its bones could mineralize over millions of years, turning into rock. These are the fossils we find today. By carefully excavating and studying these bones, scientists can reconstruct a dinosaur's entire skeleton, figuring out its size, posture, and how it moved.
Fossils tell us more than just a dinosaur's shape. Microscopic wear and tear on teeth can reveal what a dinosaur ate—flat teeth suggest a plant-eater, while sharp, serrated teeth point to a carnivore. Fossilized footprints, called trackways, show us how fast they walked or ran and whether they moved in herds. Even fossilized poop, known as coprolites, can contain traces of a dinosaur's last meal! Every fossil is a clue that helps us understand these magnificent creatures.
Dinosaurs Today? The Bird Connection
It might be surprising, but you can see a dinosaur's relative right outside your window! Over the past few decades, an overwhelming amount of evidence has proven that modern birds are the direct descendants of a group of two-legged, meat-eating dinosaurs called theropods. This group includes the mighty T-Rex and the swift Velociraptor. The connection isn't just a guess; it's backed by hundreds of similarities in their skeletons, such as a wishbone, hollow bones, and a similar hip structure.
In China, paleontologists have discovered incredible fossils of non-avian dinosaurs covered in feathers. These feathers were likely used for insulation at first, and later for display, before eventually being adapted for flight. This means that not all dinosaurs went extinct 66 million years ago. One branch of the dinosaur family tree survived, evolved, and diversified into the more than 10,000 species of birds we see today. So, in a way, the age of dinosaurs never truly ended.
Dino Diet Sorter
Dinosaurs had different diets. Drag the food to the correct dinosaur type to learn what they ate!
HERBIVORES
CARNIVORES
OMNIVORES
Build-A-Saurus
Welcome to the genetics lab! Mix and match parts to create your very own unique dinosaur.