Typically, when we think of dinosaurs with sharp claws, we pictures them catching and taking out prey with them. Recent ideas suggest that the sharp claws dinosaurs had were used for a variety of tasks, not just catching dinner. The researchers who conducted the study focused mainly on theropod dinosaurs. Theropod dinosaurs are all bipedal, so they have two arms with claws that adapted to many different functions. This new study shows that some theropod dinosaurs became herbivores and used their claws for digging and grasping among other things, rather than slicing and killing. The therizinosaurus, shown in the picture, is an example of a theropod with long, almost blade-like claws, but it was actually an herbivore and used it's claws for gathering purposes.Read the full article here.
NOS Themes:
Science is tentative - The science community is always open to new ideas, like dinosaur claws not just being for catching prey.
Science is based on evidence - The conclusions that the scientists came up with was a result of the evidence they found.
Role of motivation and curiosity - Scientists wanted to know more about what went on in the times of the dinosaurs, and this research solved another piece into the puzzle.
Very interesting article! I would never have thought that some dinosaurs would use their claws for gathering purposes. Although only the herbivores used they claws for non-violent reason. Many carnivores such as the velociraptor defiantly used their claws for combat.
ReplyDeleteThat is really cool that after all these years scientists were able to figure out how some dinosaurs used their claw, especially since so many people all thought those giant claws were for killing prey. It does make sense how the claws could be used for gathering food, and could possible also be used to frighten off bigger animals that might want to eat them.
ReplyDeleteI think that this article is very eye opening to the fact that we may have mistaken the functions of certain body parts of ancient species. I wonder how many other species have different uses for their body parts that we don't know about. Maybe there are uses in common species today that we don't know about.
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