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''The Truth About Killer Dinosaurs'' is a two-part BBC documentary film, directed by
Bill Oddie William Edgar Oddie (born 7 July 1941) is an English writer, comedian, songwriter, musician, artist, birder, conservationist, television presenter and actor. He was a member of comedy trio The Goodies. A birder since his childhood in Quinto ...
, in which a group of men test out
dinosaur Dinosaurs are a diverse group of reptiles of the clade Dinosauria. They first appeared during the Triassic period, between 243 and 233.23  million years ago (mya), although the exact origin and timing of the evolution of dinosaurs is ...
weapons, using studies. The first episode determines the winner of a battle between ''
Tyrannosaurus ''Tyrannosaurus'' is a genus of large theropod dinosaur. The species ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' (''rex'' meaning "king" in Latin), often called ''T. rex'' or colloquially ''T-Rex'', is one of the best represented theropods. ''Tyrannosaurus'' liv ...
'' and ''
Triceratops ''Triceratops'' ( ; ) is a genus of herbivorous chasmosaurine ceratopsid dinosaur that first appeared during the late Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous period, about 68 million years ago in what is now North America. It is one o ...
'', and the second compares the strength of an ''
Ankylosaur Ankylosauria is a group of herbivorous dinosaurs of the order Ornithischia. It includes the great majority of dinosaurs with armor in the form of bony osteoderms, similar to turtles. Ankylosaurs were bulky quadrupeds, with short, powerful limbs. ...
us'' and ''
Velociraptor ''Velociraptor'' (; ) is a genus of small dromaeosaurid dinosaur that lived in Asia during the Late Cretaceous epoch, about 75 million to 71 million years ago. Two species are currently recognized, although others have been assigned in the pa ...
''. The episodes were broadcast on
BBC 1 BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, ...
in August and September 2005. In the U.S., ''The Truth About killer Dinosaurs'' was also known as ''Dinosaur Face-Off.''


Episodes and animals

These are the episodes and the evidence revealed in them.


1 ''

Tyrannosaurus ''Tyrannosaurus'' is a genus of large theropod dinosaur. The species ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' (''rex'' meaning "king" in Latin), often called ''T. rex'' or colloquially ''T-Rex'', is one of the best represented theropods. ''Tyrannosaurus'' liv ...
'' vs. ''
Triceratops ''Triceratops'' ( ; ) is a genus of herbivorous chasmosaurine ceratopsid dinosaur that first appeared during the late Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous period, about 68 million years ago in what is now North America. It is one o ...
''

Original air date: August 28, 2005


''

Tyrannosaurus ''Tyrannosaurus'' is a genus of large theropod dinosaur. The species ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' (''rex'' meaning "king" in Latin), often called ''T. rex'' or colloquially ''T-Rex'', is one of the best represented theropods. ''Tyrannosaurus'' liv ...
''

*Evidence of head injuries on ''Triceratops'' indicates that ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' attacked ''Triceratops''. *Using a steel ''Tyrannosaurus rex''
skull The skull is a bone protective cavity for the brain. The skull is composed of four types of bone i.e., cranial bones, facial bones, ear ossicles and hyoid bone. However two parts are more prominent: the cranium and the mandible. In humans, t ...
, scientists learned that ''Tyrannosaurus'' could easily crush a small
mini cooper Mini Cooper may refer to: *Cars of the original Mini series called the "Mini Cooper", made by the British Motor Corporation and its successors 1961–1971, and 1990–2000 *Cars of the Mini (marque), including a number of different models produced ...
. *Scientists learn that ''Tyrannosaurus'' could run at 3 miles per day. *Scanning an endo cast from a ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' skull, scientists theorize that ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' had a brain similar to that of a modern-day
alligator An alligator is a large reptile in the Crocodilia order in the genus ''Alligator'' of the family Alligatoridae. The two extant species are the American alligator (''A. mississippiensis'') and the Chinese alligator (''A. sinensis''). Additional ...
. *''Tyrannosaurus'' had nice
vision Vision, Visions, or The Vision may refer to: Perception Optical perception * Visual perception, the sense of sight * Visual system, the physical mechanism of eyesight * Computer vision, a field dealing with how computers can be made to gain und ...
, and a big sense of smell. *''Tyrannosaurus'' could bite through bone, at a bite force of at least four tons per square inch.


''

Triceratops ''Triceratops'' ( ; ) is a genus of herbivorous chasmosaurine ceratopsid dinosaur that first appeared during the late Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous period, about 68 million years ago in what is now North America. It is one o ...
''

*Doing a
crash test A crash test is a form of destructive testing usually performed in order to ensure safe design standards in crashworthiness and crash compatibility for various modes of transportation (see automobile safety) or related systems and compone ...
with a ''Triceratops'' skull, made of solid
resin In polymer chemistry and materials science, resin is a solid or highly viscous substance of plant or synthetic origin that is typically convertible into polymers. Resins are usually mixtures of organic compounds. This article focuses on ...
, scientists learn that contrary to portrayals in the media, ''Triceratops'' probably did not charge at predators nor other dinosaurs, for its skull would likely break. *''Triceratops'' may have gored its predators. *''Triceratops'' was slower than ''Tyrannosaurus'', but was more agile.


Face Off

An even match. In the episode, it is shown that if the ''rex'' makes an attack, it might attack the ''Triceratops'', but if the plant eater discovers a booby trap, he could beat his opponent and kill it. The ''T. rex'' is seen stalking the ''Triceratops''. It suddenly runs out of the bush and being fast, it takes the ''Triceratops.'' The ''rex'' bites into the ''Triceratops neck, knocks it down and eats it alive. The ''T. rex'' is wandering through the forest looking for a tasty meal. It soon comes across two male ''Triceratops battling. while'' the two are done battling, the ''Tyrannosaurus'' singles one of them as a target. After picking its victim, the ''T-rex'' charges, but the ''Triceratops'' finds it just in time and turns away to face the hungry killer. The ''T-rex'' seizes the horn of the ''Triceratops'' and breaks it off. The herbivore tries to retreat again, but the ''T-rex'' chomps on its frill. After making a loud charge, the ''Triceratops'' slashes one of its horns into the ''T-rex's'' belly. The ''T-rex'' limps away, falls to the ground and slowly dies. The ''Triceratops'' then watches its attacker die and goes away to finish another day of eating.


2 ''

Velociraptor ''Velociraptor'' (; ) is a genus of small dromaeosaurid dinosaur that lived in Asia during the Late Cretaceous epoch, about 75 million to 71 million years ago. Two species are currently recognized, although others have been assigned in the pa ...
'' vs. ''
Ankylosaur Ankylosauria is a group of herbivorous dinosaurs of the order Ornithischia. It includes the great majority of dinosaurs with armor in the form of bony osteoderms, similar to turtles. Ankylosaurs were bulky quadrupeds, with short, powerful limbs. ...
us''

Original air date: September 4, 2005


''

Velociraptor ''Velociraptor'' (; ) is a genus of small dromaeosaurid dinosaur that lived in Asia during the Late Cretaceous epoch, about 75 million to 71 million years ago. Two species are currently recognized, although others have been assigned in the pa ...
''

*''Velociraptor'' was only the size of a
turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...
. *''Velociraptor'' had
feathers Feathers are epidermal growths that form a distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on both avian (bird) and some non-avian dinosaurs and other archosaurs. They are the most complex integumentary structures found in vertebrates and a premier e ...
. *A
robotic Robotics is an interdisciplinary branch of computer science and engineering. Robotics involves design, construction, operation, and use of robots. The goal of robotics is to design machines that can help and assist humans. Robotics integra ...
''Velociraptor'' leg provides evidence that ''Velociraptor'' did not cut its meal. *The fossil of a ''Velociraptor'' fighting a ''
Protoceratops ''Protoceratops'' (; ) is a genus of small protoceratopsid dinosaurs that lived in Asia during the Late Cretaceous, around 75 to 71 million years ago. The genus ''Protoceratops'' includes two species: ''P. andrewsi'' and the larger ''P. helleni ...
'' shows that the ''Velociraptor'' pierced the neck of its prey, possibly to impale the
arteries An artery (plural arteries) () is a blood vessel in humans and most animals that takes blood away from the heart to one or more parts of the body (tissues, lungs, brain etc.). Most arteries carry oxygenated blood; the two exceptions are the pu ...
or the
vein Veins are blood vessels in humans and most other animals that carry blood towards the heart. Most veins carry deoxygenated blood from the tissues back to the heart; exceptions are the pulmonary and umbilical veins, both of which carry oxygenated ...
. *''Velociraptors wings were used for balance and agility, much like the wings of an African ostrich. *Along with its claws, ''Velociraptors teeth were useful weapons. *''Velociraptor'' most likely hunted in small packs. *Teeth of this dinosaur were found among its next meals. *The claw provides evidence that the ''Velociraptor'' could not penetrate the ankylosaurus 's
armor Armour (British English) or armor (American English; see spelling differences) is a covering used to protect an object, individual, or vehicle from physical injury or damage, especially direct contact weapons or projectiles during combat, or ...
, it broke when tested on a croc's
skin Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation. Other animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have different d ...
.


''

Ankylosaur Ankylosauria is a group of herbivorous dinosaurs of the order Ornithischia. It includes the great majority of dinosaurs with armor in the form of bony osteoderms, similar to turtles. Ankylosaurs were bulky quadrupeds, with short, powerful limbs. ...
us''

*Ankylosaurus
armor Armour (British English) or armor (American English; see spelling differences) is a covering used to protect an object, individual, or vehicle from physical injury or damage, especially direct contact weapons or projectiles during combat, or ...
was similar to a crocodile's, though significantly harder. *Young crocs have no armor, especially on the neck. Baby ankylosaurus were probably similar. *A robotic ankylosaurus tail shows that the tail club could break wood and bone with ease. *This dinosaur's armour and club was used only on more threatening predators than ''Velociraptor''. *In the U.S version, it was known as ''
Ankylosaurus ''Ankylosaurus'' is a genus of armored dinosaur. Its fossils have been found in geological formations dating to the very end of the Cretaceous Period, about 68–66 million years ago, in western North America, making it among the last of the ...
'', although ''Ankylosaurus'' itself lived in North America. The ankylosaurus in this fact have been ''
Pinacosaurus ''Pinacosaurus'' (meaning "Plank lizard") is a genus of ankylosaurid thyreophoran dinosaur that lived in Asia during the Late Cretaceous (Santonian-Campanian, roughly 75 million to 71 million years ago), mainly in Mongolia and China. The first ...
''.


Face Off

The ankylosaurus would win, although ''Velociraptors'' could easily kill young ankylosauruses, which have armor. The ankylosaurus is being attacked by three ''Velociraptor''s. They try to attack it four times but its armor proves thick. The ankylosaurus is able to drive them away by swinging its tail club (one hit would have killed one of the pack). The ankylosaurus is grazing and her young dollies come very close to her to avoid some danger, but one of them runs off to an unsafe playground. Two ''Velociraptor''s lay a trap around the female dolly, one of them bursts out of cover to stampede the dolly and the dolly escapes the ''Velociraptor'', only to be driven into the claws of another one. The two ''Velociraptor''s attack the dolly, slashing her with their claws. The dolly tries desperately to save herself with her tail club, but is quickly overwhelmed. One of the ''raptor''s drives a claw into the dolly's neck, killing her. The ''Velociraptor''s then have the female baby as their payback.


Minor appearances


''

Tarbosaurus ''Tarbosaurus'' ( ; meaning "alarming lizard") is a genus of tyrannosaurid dinosaur that flourished in Asia about 70 million years ago, at the end of the Late Cretaceous Period (geology), Period, considered to contain a single known species, ' ...
''

* The ''Tarbosaurus'' appears in the second episode heart of death. It fights the ankylosaurus and loses it (the tail club breaks its leg).


''

Protoceratops ''Protoceratops'' (; ) is a genus of small protoceratopsid dinosaurs that lived in Asia during the Late Cretaceous, around 75 to 71 million years ago. The genus ''Protoceratops'' includes two species: ''P. andrewsi'' and the larger ''P. helleni ...
''

* The ''Protoceratops'' appears in the second part heart of death in two fights against a ''Velociraptor''. The first is a re-enactment of the fighting dinosaurs scene, while the second pits it against two ''Velociraptor''s, where the latter wins.


See also

* '' Jurassic Fight Club''


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Truth About Killer Dinosaurs, The BBC television documentaries Discovery Channel original programming Documentary television series about dinosaurs 2005 British television series debuts 2005 British television series endings English-language television shows