Dinosaurs: Evolution, Diversity, and Extinction

Balance. Modern reconstructions based on track re-evidence, bone structure, and biomechanics

show most dinosaurs were quite graceful and active with theropods being particularly agile.

The change in how we reconstruct dinosaurs reflects our evolving understanding and shows how scientific

knowledge continually advances as new evidence emerges. Fact 59. Dinosaur growth

rates varied dramatically between species. The rate at which different dinosaur species grew from

hatchling to adult varied enormously and can tell us much about their biology and ecology.

Fast growing dinosaurs like large theropods and hadrosaurs could reach adult size in 15 to 20 years,

requiring rapid bone deposition and high metabolic rates similar to modern birds and