The Dinocephalians lived more than 260 million years ago, tens of millions of years before the first dinosaurs appeared. They gave rise to large herbivores, omnivores and some pretty terrifying giant carnivores. Several Dinocephalians have some intriguing headgear that has inspired some fascinating research into whether these animals were headbutting.
Andrew's paper: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-paleontology/article/150-years-of-synapsid-paleoneurology-the-origins-of-the-mammalian-brain-behavior-sense-organs-and-physiology/500B0F6CD3E934B1B9D29D5EBF2B1C83#article
Adam Midzuk: https://www.instagram.com/kuzim_art/
Thumbnail art: Joschua Knüppe
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📜 Credits:
Guest star: Andrew Bolton
7 Days of Science is produced by Douglas James and Ben Thomas
7 Days of Science logo, graphics and more have been designed by Michael Buhler
Chapters:
0:00 - Intro
2:31 - What is a Dinocephalian?
4:47 - How do scientists study fossil brain traces?
6:44 - How were Dinocephalians adapted to head-butting?
10:33 - Andrew's research into Dinocephalians
22:19 - Future research
25:18 - Conclusion
Runtime 00:26:11
Science, Science news, Palaeontology, paleontology, paleo, Ben G Thomas, 7DoS, 7 Days of Science, weekly science news, astronomy, astronomy news, paleo news,
