What color was that dinosaur?

steve smyth — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 19:25:58 GMT

'dinos in parakeet pigments'...awesome turn of phrase, eh?
good one, Al...

What color was that dinosaur?

Kent, Indianapolis, Indiana — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 19:55:14 GMT

Why do animals today have color? A tiger is the pattern of the vegetation it hides in. A bottlenose dolphin is basically color-less. A Toucan has spectacular color on half it's body and is brilliant on the other half. Science can make a pretty good argument that not all dinosaurs were solid dull gray, and that if they had similar functions as living creatures in the same category, then they probably had similar colr or pattern characteristics. Evolution doesn't seem to vary from that fundamental process.

What color was that dinosaur?

jdteattlewa — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 19:57:01 GMT

This is the kind of article I stop by to see, thank you very much!

What color was that dinosaur?

Johnny Bravo — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:42:27 GMT

Hey men!! all this is awesome", but as Shakespeare said: "To be or not to be, that is the question", by the way, the funny dino shown above looks like a college cheerleader's clothing. That's really funny.

What color was that dinosaur?

Josh Levin, Cherry Hill, NJ — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 22:35:38 GMT

Kent from Indianapolis forgets one thing -- most mammals can see in only one or two primary colors. Primates, such as ourselves, can see in three primary colors. Birds, and, we may presume, dinosaurs, can see in four primary colors. Not only that, birds have drops of oil in the cones of their retinas that further intensify their color perception. Therefore, their surface colors might also be intense and varied.

Many of the colors of parrots, parakeets, and their close relatives are not due to pigments, but rather due to light scattering by structures reminiscent of diffraction gratings.

What color was that dinosaur?

Tams, Atl, GA — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 23:15:27 GMT

What exciting news! Can't wait to see the results when these theories are tested.

What color was that dinosaur?

Thomas Ashby, Calgary — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 23:16:30 GMT

Sure beats phoney stone tablets depicting a "fossil" messiah !!

What color was that dinosaur?

Taylor, Portland, OR — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:02:42 GMT

Josh Levin, very good observation. It changed my view on this subject considerably. Especially the part you said about light reflecting. I didn't know that, and for it, I thank you. Msn did a fantastic job on this story. It will be fun to see what the results of this test are.

What color was that dinosaur?

Pat Davis — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:50:38 GMT

This is great news. I can't wait to see the results of further study.

What color was that dinosaur?

travis — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 02:00:30 GMT

would'nt they have to find dinos with feathers first.& how does skin not fossilize after 200 million years

What color was that dinosaur?

Alan Boyle — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 02:13:06 GMT

Travis, paleontologists have found what appear to be fossilized dinosaur feathers. Also, they have found that soft tissues, such as skin, eyes and even brains, can be fossilized as well as bones. In fact, some bones from the age of the dinosaurs have been found to contain unfossilized soft material:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24297066/

What color was that dinosaur?

travis — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 05:14:31 GMT

they found fossilized feathers. and in montana they found a unfossilized thightbone with blood cells in it,i think i remember them finding a octopi too fossilized ,but that doesnt answer the question of how it didnt fossilize or rot away after soo much time , wondering if someone has found an answer for that .

What color was that dinosaur?

ray smith, shippensburg, pa — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 05:25:36 GMT

I certainly concur with the form follows function arguement, BUT, I do think some are pushing the feathered dino cart just a-bit ahead of the records of fact. Thank you Alan for using words like if, maybe, appears, etc. in the right places. Even Vinther is quoted with the words "we Don't know".
The speculation is intriguing and deserves more work from serious experimenters. In fact I hope even the amatures will keep a keen eye out for clues that may eventually lead to discerning exactly which dinos had what plumage and of what compositions and colors. But for those compelled to decree T-Rex an oversized chicken, Replete with feathers, well...back to fishing the tar pits....as usual, good writing Mr. Boyle.

What color was that dinosaur?

Rob, Manchester NH — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:49:04 GMT

Just imagine how funny a Jurassic park remake with feathered dinos would be...

What color was that dinosaur?

DinoSpeaker, Los Angeles, CA — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:11:16 GMT

Ray Smith: A Theropod ("Beast-Footed") dinosaur, Dilong Paradoxus (which was a precursor "cousin" to T. Rex) was found with protofeathers. The cart is nicely behind, and is being pulled by a plumaged T-Rex. Just accept it.

What color was that dinosaur?

Delmar Fairchild, Barron, WI — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:15:12 GMT

I would think that using this technique would show what gender the dinosaur fossils are. If coloration still holds true for Dinosaurs as it does for most birds, being: Males birds are mostly brilliant colored as suggested for courtship and females subdued for nesting purposes, it should follow the same for the Dinosauers.
I was wondering when someone would get around to this problem seeing as a feathered dinosaur was found in China not too long ago. Wasn't that the one that wasn't completely fossilized but somewhat mummified?

What color was that dinosaur?

Bubba, Georgia — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:47:54 GMT

Ray, (hey, Shippensburg!) we've always divided dinos into bird-hipped, like T. Rex, and lizard-hipped, like the Apato- or Bronto-saurus. No way the lizard-hips had feathers, but they may have been present on most of the bird-hipped dinos. I'd bet on them being vestigial on many types, like I just don't see Iguanadon wearing a feather coat.

What color was that dinosaur?

D! , lone star state — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 17:30:12 GMT

so t-rex might look like a giant chicken?

What color was that dinosaur?

red pill junkie, Mexico city — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 19:16:23 GMT

Er... wasn't Caudipteryx Zoui proven to be a hoax, which was a major embarrassment for National Geographic?

What color was that dinosaur?

Alan Boyle — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 21:45:17 GMT

Red, that was actually Archaeoraptor (the feathered dinosaur hoax):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaeoraptor

What color was that dinosaur?

big pile — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 02:53:44 GMT

dinasours are reptiles warmed by the sun and volcanoes show me a reptile that has fur or feathers

What color was that dinosaur?

Thomas Ashby, Calgary — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 03:06:31 GMT

Rob, Manchester NH.."Just imagine how funny a Jurassic park remake with feathered dinos would be..."

lol...sounds more like JP on acid.

What color was that dinosaur?

bigpile — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 03:10:02 GMT

throw away theory just give me the proven facts don't waste our time on kindergarten art

What color was that dinosaur?

Tim Rommes, Washington, UT — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 12:28:43 GMT

That's right, bigpile, throw away gravity. If you can't prove it it isn't worth my time. I doubt it (dinosaur feathers, gravity or Clinton saying he didn't have sex with that woman) is true anyway. If that stuff was, somebody would have proven it by now. I mean, it's the freaking new millenium.

What color was that dinosaur?

Harold Ziel steinmentz1 Chicago, Il. — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 07:09:33 GMT

Feathers, yes! I belive some dinos had them.
I would love to hear their songs of mating, nesting,
and territory. I don't think that they 'roared' unless
they were fighting over food, territory, or mates.
Small lizards can make birdlike sounds.

What color was that dinosaur?

Allen — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 05:48:37 GMT

Isn't it true that the therapod dinosaurs had wishbones too? Like birds? I don't subscribe to the idea that all dinos were precursors to birds, but, with feathers, wishbones, beaks and duckbills running rampant in some sections of the dino family tree it seems like a good bet that at least part of them were at least proto-birds.

What color was that dinosaur?

M.L.Bordelon, Tacoma, Wash. — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 20:16:14 GMT

This concept (brightly colored dinos) isn't exactly a new one. Kelly Freas drew an Analog magazine cover back in the 60's showing a gaudily-colored T-Rex. Of course, now scientists might actually prove it!