Subscribe to Science Friday
One of the biggest debates in the dinosaur world is what was happening right before they went extinct. Were they already declining, or would they have thrived if not for the asteroid? Two recent studies shed some light on this question: one that analyzes a trove of fossils from New Mexico and suggests there was more diversity in the Americas than previously thought, and another that reanalyzes a long-debated juvenile T. rex fossil and finds it’s likely a separate, smaller species.
Host Ira Flatow is joined by authors on those separate studies, paleontologists Steve Brusatte and Lindsay Zanno.
Further Reading
- Dust off your paleontology tools—check out SciFri’s dinosaur-themed educational resources!
- Watch the video below to learn more about Zanno’s research.
Sign Up For The Week In Science Newsletter
Keep up with the week’s essential science news headlines, plus stories that offer extra joy and awe.
Segment Guests
Steve Brusatte
Dr. Steve Brusatte is a vertebrate palaeontologist and evolutionary biologist who specialises in the anatomy, genealogy, and evolution of dinosaurs, mammals, and other fossil organisms. He’s based in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Lindsay Zanno
Dr. Lindsay Zanno is the head of paleontology at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and Associate Research Professor at North Caroling State University.
Segment Transcript
The transcript is being processed. It will be available 2-3 days after this story’s publication date.
Meet the Producers and Host
About Dee Peterschmidt
Dee Peterschmidt is a producer, host of the podcast Universe of Art, and composes music for Science Friday’s podcasts. Their D&D character is a clumsy bard named Chip Chap Chopman.
About Ira Flatow
Ira Flatow is the founder and host of Science Friday. His green thumb has revived many an office plant at death’s door.