Film title: Allosaurus
Allosaurus
Back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, one of the most dangerous was the Allosaurus.
Colorado, USA
1991
We know a lot about this dinosaur because in 1991, a well-preserved Allosaurus skeleton was discovered.
skeleton
Scientists that study fossils, like these bones, are called palaeontologists.
palaeontologists
They nicknamed the skeleton Big Al...
And used the bones to tell his story.
The skull bones suggest his brain was a similar shape to a crocodile's.
skull bones
This means that he might have behaved in a similar way.
Like a crocodile, Big Al had small eyes...
So he probably couldn't see very well.
But the overall shape of the skeleton suggests he moved more like an ostrich.
The thigh bones of Allosauruses of different ages show that, like birds, they grew quickly.
thigh bones
After hatching from an egg, they became adults in just seven years.
But the size of Big Al's skeleton revealed that he did not make it to adult age.
Many of his bones were damaged ... it's clear this dinosaur lived a tough life.
A tailbone was broken, perhaps while hunting.
tailbone
And his right hand was fractured, possibly in a fight with another Allosaurus.
But it's the bone in his right foot that gives a clue as to how Big Al died.
Bone growth shows there was infection, making it difficult for him to hunt for food or find water.
Big Al most likely died of thirst during a drought.
When water finally came, it buried and preserved Big Al's skeleton, allowing us to piece together his life, 145 million years after his death.
A skeleton can reveal many details of an animal's life.
Back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, one of the most dangerous was the Allosaurus.
Colorado, USA
1991
We know a lot about this dinosaur because in 1991, a well-preserved Allosaurus skeleton was discovered.
skeleton
Scientists that study fossils, like these bones, are called palaeontologists.
palaeontologists
They nicknamed the skeleton Big Al...
And used the bones to tell his story.
The skull bones suggest his brain was a similar shape to a crocodile's.
skull bones
This means that he might have behaved in a similar way.
Like a crocodile, Big Al had small eyes...
So he probably couldn't see very well.
But the overall shape of the skeleton suggests he moved more like an ostrich.
The thigh bones of Allosauruses of different ages show that, like birds, they grew quickly.
thigh bones
After hatching from an egg, they became adults in just seven years.
But the size of Big Al's skeleton revealed that he did not make it to adult age.
Many of his bones were damaged ... it's clear this dinosaur lived a tough life.
A tailbone was broken, perhaps while hunting.
tailbone
And his right hand was fractured, possibly in a fight with another Allosaurus.
But it's the bone in his right foot that gives a clue as to how Big Al died.
Bone growth shows there was infection, making it difficult for him to hunt for food or find water.
Big Al most likely died of thirst during a drought.
When water finally came, it buried and preserved Big Al's skeleton, allowing us to piece together his life, 145 million years after his death.
A skeleton can reveal many details of an animal's life.
How fossilised bones have allowed palaeontologists to unlock the story of an Allosaurus' life.
Learning points
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