Overview
Explore the fascinating world of dinosaur social behavior in this 33-minute lecture by palaeontologist David Hone. Discover how researchers use fossil evidence from the Gobi Desert in Mongolia to piece together the social lives of extinct animals. Learn about the challenges and methods of inferring behavior from the fossil record, focusing on adult aggregations, juvenile predation, and group formation in various dinosaur species. Gain insights into the diversity of dinosaurs and the basics of their biology. Examine new specimens and evidence that shed light on aggregations in Protoceratops and other dinosaur species. Understand how careful analysis of fossils can reveal surprising details about how these ancient creatures lived and interacted millions of years ago.
Syllabus
Intro
Gobi Desert Fieldwork
Inferring behaviour in the fossil record
Social Behaviour
Dinosaurs: the basics
Diversity!
Adult aggregations
New specimens
Aggregations in Protoceratops
Dinosaur Aggregations
Evidence for juvenile predation
Groups Forming
Taught by
The Royal Institution