The Truth About Raptors Is Way Scarier Than You Think

0:00 Sleek, fast, and absolutely deadly, dramas were some of the most fascinating dinosaurs to ever roam the planet. You probably know them better by the name Raptors. These were feathered predators with curved claws, sharp teeth, and razor sharp instincts. Over the years, they've become pop culture legends, thanks in large part to movies like Jurassic Park. Velociaptor stole the spotlight there. But in real life, its relatives were just as amazing and in some cases even more so. The name Dasauriday actually means running lizards, which is pretty fitting. They

0:46 were a family of birdlike meat eatating dinosaurs that really hit their stride during the Cretaceous period. Some were no bigger than a crow while others like Utah raptor were about the size of a wolf. They were completely feathered and had these long, stiff tails that worked kind of like balancing poles, helping them stay steady while they dashed after prey. And they weren't just quick, they were clever. Some scientists even think a few species might have hunted together, though that's still up for debate. What's even more impressive is how widespread they were. Fossils have turned up all over the world from North America and Asia to Europe, Africa, and possibly even Australia. Most of the

1:31 solid fossil evidence comes from the Cretaceous, but a few teeth hint that they might have been around as far back as the Jurassic. In this video, we're going to explore 16 amazing members of this wild and diverse group. From the famous giants you've heard of to the oddballs you probably haven't. Get ready to rethink everything you thought you knew about raptors. If you combined the agility of a parkour athlete, the claws of Wolverine, and the pack instincts of wolves, you'd get something pretty terrifying. And millions of years before comic books or clawed mutants ever existed, nature had already come up with the real deal.

2:17 Dinonicus. No, not Velociraptor. Donicus. the actual dinosaur that inspired the raptors in Jurassic Park. And unlike its Hollywood cousin, this predator was real, fast, smart, and deadly. Donikas lived during the early Cretaceous period, roaming what is now North America around 115 to 108 million years ago. Think forests, flood plains, and an enormous inland sea that split the continent in half. It wasn't the most relaxing place to live, but for a predator like Danikas, it was a buffet. Now, zooming out for a second, before all this, the continent was squished together into one superc continent called Pangia. As it slowly broke apart

3:04 into Gonduana and Lorasia, dinosaurs spread across the globe. The continental shuffle gave rise to all kinds of weird and wonderful species, including the one we're talking about today. So, where does Danica sit on the dinosaur family tree? It belongs to the therapods. Those are the two-legged, mostly meat- eatating dinosaurs like Allosaurus and T-Rex. But Dynicus was more like a member of an elite squad called Dosauriday. Nicknamed Raptors, these guys had serious bird vibes. Lightweight bones, long arms, and killer claws. Paleontologists use two systems to figure out where dinosaurs fit in the

3:50 Lenan taxonomy which groups animals by physical traits and cladistics which groups them based on shared ancestry. Using both Dinonicus ends up in a group called the celurosaurs the same club that eventually gave rise to birds. And in 2017, some paleontologists even proposed reorganizing the dino family tree entirely, putting Donicas and Triceratops in the same larger group, Onithoscalita. Think of it as updating the cast list of Earth's biggest, longest running survival show. Dinikas was around 3 m or 9.8 8 ft long, about the size of a motorcycle, and weighed

4:38 close to 100 kg or 220 lb. It ran on two powerful legs and had a tail stiffened with tendons to keep its balance. Kind of like a natural tightroppe walker, but the real showstopper, that curved claw on each foot. Picture a meat hook about 12 cm or 4.7 in long. Donikas could hold that claw off the ground and then slam it down with force, probably using it to slash at prey. It's basically the original Wolverine claw, just one per foot and all natural. Its hands weren't bad either. Three fingers with sharp claws, perfect for grabbing onto struggling prey. Add to that a narrow skull, forward- facing

5:23 eyes for depth perception, and rows of sharp serrated teeth, and you've got yourself a prehistoric assassin. Oh, and it probably had feathers. Not big flight feathers like birds, but simple ones for insulation. So, yeah, Wolverine, but with a fluffy coat. Danikas had one of the highest brainto- body ratios of any non-avian dinosaur. Paleontologist James Hopson put its encphilization quotient or EQ between 5.5 and 5.8. That's the same range as dolphins. And while EQ isn't a perfect way to measure intelligence, it does suggest this dinosaur was no dummy. It likely needed that brain power to hunt. There's some evidence that Danikas may have lived and

6:10 hunted in groups. Maybe not quite like wolves, but more socially complex than your average cold-blooded killer. And that kind of behavior takes brains. Like most dinosaurs, Donicas laid eggs. There's no smoking gun evidence of brooding behavior, but some paleontologists think it might have cared for its young bird style. It probably reached adulthood in about 3 or 4 years. That's fast, especially when you consider it was fully grown and ready to take down prey by then. And while we've found groups of these dinosaurs together, we still don't exactly know how common they were across their range. Donicas didn't scavenge for scraps. It hunted. How do we know? For one, its claws and teeth were built for

6:56 grabbing and tearing. Also, it's been found in close association with tenontosaurus, a planteating dinosaur about twice its size. Some scientists think multiple dynas may have brought one down together. A prehistoric gang take down. It probably ate whatever it could overpower. Whether that was solo ambush attacks or chaotic group hunts is still up for debate. So, was Danikas a team player? There's still no clear answer. Some fossil sites show multiple individuals near a single prey animal, but that could mean a group hunt or it could mean a feeding frenzy where everyone just showed up for a free meal. But then there are the fossilized footprints. In Asia and Africa, we found

7:42 trackways showing groups of dramas moving together. That's not proof of pack hunting, but it is a sign that they sometimes traveled in groups, and that makes a strong case for at least occasional social behavior. The early Cretaceous was a vibrant shifting landscape. Forests, wetlands, and open plains stretched across what's now the US, shaped by the vast interior seaway. Plant life was changing, too. Gymnoperms like conifers and psychads still dominated, but flowering plants, the angioperms, were just starting to bloom. Donikas shared its world with a cast of herbivores like ornithopods, early duckbuilt dinosaurs, and armor

8:27 tanks like Ankulosaurs. And it wasn't alone on the predator side either. Other dramas and big carnivores stalked the same lands. It was a world full of claws, teeth, and survival instincts. Donicas was just one of the most finely tuned predators to emerge from it. We can't help but envy the roughly 9600 people who call Grand County, Utah home. That's because their backyard happens to be the only place on Earth where scientists have uncovered the remains of an extraordinary predator about the size of a bear. Meet Utah Raptor, a carnivorous dinosaur with massive,

9:13 razor-sharp claws that roamed the region around 135 million years ago. And yes, it shares some cinematic DNA with the raptors made famous by Jurassic Park. Velociraptors were clever, fast, and terrifying. Now imagine one twice the size with legs like pistons, claws like meat hooks, and the stealth of a jungle cat. That's Utah raptor. It's basically the prehistoric version of a lion crossed with Freddy Krueger, but with feathers. The name means Utah's predator, and it definitely earned it. Utah raptor lived around 135 to 130 million years ago during the early Cretaceous period. Fossils from this beast were first described in 1993 by

10:00 paleontologist James Kirkland and his team. Since then, more bones, including skull fragments and juvenile remains, have given us a clearer picture of this apex predator. Right now, there's just one recognized species, Utah raptor. It holds the heavyweight title in the Dasosaur family, reaching 6 to 7 m long, about 20 to 25 ft, and tipping the scales at up to 500 kg. That's,00 lb. Unlike its faster, leaner cousins, Utah Raptor was built for power, not speed. It had a broad, boxy skull full of serrated teeth and those iconic curved claws like sickles on the second

10:47 toe of each foot. They were used for slashing and holding down prey, and they were big enough to make a butcher nervous. Its strong, muscular legs suggest it was an ambush hunter, waiting in cover and then striking fast and hard, likely targeting large herbivores like iguanadons or even armored ankulosaurs. Due to its large size, Utah was likely not as fast as smaller dramas like Dinonas and Velociraptor. Instead, it probably moved at speeds comparable to contemporaneous iguanadons and was still faster than the much slower sorapods. The thickness of its tibia suggests that Utah raptor had powerful legs capable of generating considerable

11:33 force, likely used to subdue large prey. While lighter dramas such as velociaptor and dinikas may have relied on their forlims to help manage prey and maintain balance while striking with their hind legs, Utah's more robust build may have allowed it to deliver powerful kicks without compromising its stability. This would have freed its forlims for grasping or dispatching prey during an attack. Back in 2001, paleontologist James Kirkland and his team decided to investigate a graduate student's intriguing find. A bone sticking out of a huge 9-tonon block of sandstone in eastern Utah. What they uncovered turned out to be remarkable. The fossilized remains of at least seven

12:20 Utah Raptor individuals. Among them were one adult measuring about 4.8 8 m or 16 ft long, four juveniles, and even a tiny hatchling just over a meter or 3.3 feet in length. And they weren't alone. Fossils of what appears to be at least one iguanadant were found alongside them. Kirkland suggested that this site might be what's known as a predator trap, similar to famous fossil sites like the Cleveland Lloyd quarry or the Labraa tarpits in California. The idea is that the Utah raptors may have been trying to feed on a helpless herbivore stuck in quicksand. In doing so, they got themselves trapped as well. Excavations have been ongoing for over a decade. And if this interpretation holds

13:07 up, it could turn out to be one of the best preserved predator traps ever discovered, offering an extraordinary window into how these dinosaurs may have behaved. There's still some uncertainty, though. Were all these Utah raptors caught at the same time, or did they become stuck one after another over a period of time? Recent studies suggest a number of individuals in the block might be double what was initially estimated. That raises exciting possibilities about group behavior, perhaps even hunting together in a coordinated way, like much earlier theories proposed for Donicas. Of course, we have to be cautious when interpreting dinosaur behavior. A 2020

13:52 study on dinikas showed that juveniles and adults had different diets, which cast doubts on the idea that they hunted in organized packs like wolves. Still, the fact that Utah raptors of different ages were preserved together hints at some level of social behavior, maybe even parental care after hatching. Velociraptor, whose name means swift thief, was a small, fast, and sharp clawed dinosaur that lived in Asia during the Lake Cretaceous period around 75 to 71 million years ago. Two species are currently recognized. The more familiar velociaptor Mongoliansis, first described in 1924 from fossils found in

14:38 Mongolia's Jadoca Formation, and Velociraptor Osmos, named in 2008 based on a partial skull from China's Bayan Mandahu Formation. Although it's one of the most iconic dinosaurs in popular culture, especially thanks to the Jurassic Park films, the real Velocitor looked quite different from its Hollywood counterpart. In reality, it was about the size of a large turkey, around 1.5 to just over 2 m long, 4.9 to 6.6 ft, stood half a meter tall at the hips, and weighed somewhere between 14 to 20 kg or 31 to 44 lb. That's a far cry from the humansized reptilian hunters seen on screen, which are actually modeled more

15:23 closely on the much larger Donicas. Still, Velociraptor was no less impressive. Like other dramas, it walked on two legs, had a long, stiffened tail for balance, and sported a large curved claw on each second toe, likely used to grip and subdue struggling prey. Its skull was long and low with a slightly upturned snout giving it a sleek aerodynamic look. What really sets Velociraptor apart is the evidence of feathers. One fossilized armbbone shows clear quill knobs, the places where large wing feathers would have been anchored. While the specimen's exact identity has since been debated, feathered relatives like Microaptor and Shenuan Long make it clear. Velociaptor

16:09 was almost certainly feathered. Its head was packed with sharp serrated teeth. The snout made up most of the skulls length and was constructed from several narrow bones, including the premaxul and maxul, which housed rows of tooth sockets. Velociaptor's teeth weren't all the same. They varied in curvature and serration, especially between the upper and lower jaws. Its second tooth on the pacula stood out as particularly large. When it came to arms and hands, Velociraptor had long bird-like forlims ending in three curved claws. These were likely used for grasping and holding prey. The wrist structure meant the hands faced inward, not down, similar to

16:56 how modern birds hold their wings. Its feet were equally specialized. The first toe was a small declaw, while the second bore that famous sickle-shaped claw over 6 cm long and probably a key tool for hunting. Uniquely, this claw was held off the ground when walking with the animal balancing on the third and fourth toes. The tail of Velociraptor was reinforced with stiff rods made from elongated bone processes and oified tendons. For a long time, scientists thought this meant the tail was locked in place for stability during running or leaping. But at least one fossil shows the tail preserved in a sideways scurve, suggesting it had more flexibility than

17:41 once believed, maybe helping with balance and agility during fast runs or when pouncing on prey. Over the years, paleontologists have discovered more than a dozen velociaptor fossils, giving us a surprisingly detailed picture of this sleek predator. One of the most dramatic finds shows a velociraptor locked in battle with a protoeratops preserved midfight in the ancient sands of Mongolia. Scenes like that offer a rare and vivid glimpse into life and death in the Cretaceous. While much about Velociraptor is still being studied, it's clear this dinosaur was far more bird-like and far more complex than the scaly movie monster many people

18:26 first imagined. Fast, agile, and likely feathered, it was a predator perfectly suited to its environment. Research on the Velociraptor's brain case shows it had some seriously impressive hearing, able to pick up a wide range of sound frequencies from about 2,368 to 3,965 hertz. This would have helped it track prey with pinpoint accuracy. These studies also back up the idea that Velociaptor was fast and agile, a real skilled predator. But it wasn't all about the hunt. Fossil evidence suggests it also scavenged. So, Velociaptor was probably an opportunistic eater, turning to carry when times were tough, whether during droughts, famine, or if it was

19:12 sick or getting older on top of hunting live prey. Velociaptor was probably warm-blooded to some degree, mainly because hunting would have taken a lot of energy. Animals with feathery or furry coats today, like Velociraptor, are usually warm-blooded since their feathers or fur help keep them insulated. That said, research on bone growth in dramas and some early birds shows that their metabolism might not have been as high as most modern warm-blooded mammals and birds. Take the kiwi for example. It has a lot in common with dramas when it comes to anatomy, feather type, and even the narrowness of its nasal passages. a key sign of metabolism. Even though the kiwi is flightless, it's pretty active, keeps a

19:57 stable body temperature, and has a lower resting metabolism, making it a solid comparison for how early birds and dramas might have managed their energy. In 2023, Sashiro Tarda and his team took a close look at the nasal cavities of both cold-blooded and warm-blooded animals to get a sense of how non-avian dinosaurs might have regulated their body temperature. They found that modern warm-blooded animals generally have larger nasal cavities relative to their head size compared to cold-blooded ones. When they studied Velociraptor's naval cavity, it didn't quite measure up to the level of today's warm-blooded creatures. This led Tara and his team to suggest that Velociaptor along with most other non-avian dinosaurs probably

20:42 didn't have the same kind of advanced nasal system for temperature control that modern warm-blooded animals have. Dramasaurus, meaning running lizard, was a genus of dramas therapod dinosaur that lived during the late Cretaceous period around 80 to 69 million years ago in what is now Alberta, Canada and the western United States. The type species dramas Albertensis was described by William Dylan Matthew and Barnum Brown in 1922. Fossils of this species have been found in the Hell Creek, Horseshoe Canyon, and Dinosaur Park formations, while teeth attributed to the genus have been discovered in the Prince Creek Formation. Dramasaurus is the type genus

21:28 of both Dramasauriday and Dasosaurin which include other Dramasaurs with similar characteristics such as Dakota Raptor thought to be closely related. Despite being featured in popular dinosaur books and having a mounted skeleton cast displayed in museums around the world, actual fossils of Dramasaurus are quite rare. The first known Dramasaurus remains were discovered in 1914 by paleontologist Barnum Brown during an expedition to Red Deer River, Alberta. These remains, including a partial skull, mandibles, hyoids, metacarpal, and some footbones, were found in what is now Dinosaur Provincial Park. The holotype was missing most of the top of the snouts, but several other skull fragments and

22:14 teeth have been found since then in Alberta and Montana. In 1922, Matthew and Brown named the type species Dasosaurus Albertensis. Over the years, seven other species of dramas were named, but most of these are based on fragmentaryary remains, many of which belong to different genre. These species are now considered doubtful, with only Dasosaurus albatensus recognized as a valid species. Jasaurus was a medium-sized carnivore around 2 m or 6.6 ft long and weighing roughly 16 kg or 35 lb. It had sharp teeth and likely a sickle claw on each foot. It lived during the Campanian

23:00 stage of the lake cretaceous. Though some fragmentaryary remains from the late Marriian around 66 million years ago have been attributed to the genus as well as teeth from the Aguha formation. Anatomically, Dasosaurus had a robust skull with a deep snout and large curved cone-shaped teeth coated in enamel. It had nine teeth in each maxilla and a unique vein at the back of the head that drained neck muscles through two long canals running to the brain. The shape of its skull and teeth led Matthew and Brown to originally classify it within the Dinodontday, now known as Tyrannosauriday. But in 1969, John Ostramm recognized its closer

23:46 relationship to Velociaptor and Donicas, placing it in a new family. Domeosaurid dosaurus has a somewhat unclear evolutionary relationship with other dinosaurs. While its robust build might suggest a primitive appearance, it was actually a highly specialized creature. Some recent analysis places it as a sister taxon to yo vuchia utaraptor and ailobador. In terms of its feeding behavior, dramasaurus was a predator with a strong bite. Studies suggest its bite was nearly three times as powerful as velociaptors, and it likely relied more on its jaws for hunting rather than its sickle claw. The wear patterns on its teeth also indicate it may have

24:31 preferred larger prey, similar to the feeding habits of larger therapods like Gorgosaurus. Dramasurus' teeth show signs of puncture and pull feeding, a method seen in other theropods. Its diet likely included bone and tougher prey, unlike the softer diets of some smaller therapods like Trodon. While there is no definitive evidence to confirm that Dramasaurus was nocturnal, certain studies suggest it was likely dial similar to many of its Dasaurid relatives. A study by Theion indicates that Dasosaurus like Sorinithstes may have been adapted to hunting during the day, particularly based on its jaw structure

25:17 and the wear patterns on its teeth. Additionally, Dasosaurus' relatively robust skull and bite force align with the daytime hunting strategies. However, it's worth noting that many factors could have influenced its activity patterns, such as environmental conditions, prey availability, and competition with other predators. Ostra is one of those dinosaurs that really catches your attention. This dramasid theropod lived in what is now Argentina during the lake cretaceous, specifically in the Campanian and Mastrician stages. It was a giant for its kind, measuring about 5 to 6 m or 16 to 20 ft long and weighing anywhere from 300 to 520 kg. That's 660

26:05 to,50 lb. The first specimen of Ostraaptor, Oustraaptor Kabazi, was discovered in 2002 in the Allen Formation of Argentina. This discovery was part of a paleontological effort led by Fernando Alio Novas. The fossil, which included parts of the skull, jaw, some vertebrae, ribs, and limb bones, was prepared by Marcelo Pablo Isasi and Santiago Ral in 2008. The species was named with the genus named Ostraaptor, meaning southern thief. In 2012, a second specimen was discovered and referred to Ostraaptor Kabazi. Found in 2008, this partial

26:50 skeleton was slightly smaller than the original specimen, but included a skull and bones from the forlims. Now, one of the most interesting things about Ostraaptor is its skull. Unlike most other dramas, its skull is low and elongated, measuring about 70 cm or 31 in. It also had conical non-s serrated teeth similar to those of Spinosaurids with fluted enamel surfaces. And if that wasn't unique enough, Ostraaptor had some pretty unusual toes. The fourth toe was much wider than the second, which sparked some debate among paleontologists. Some even wondered if the original specimen could be a chimera, but this theory hasn't been widely accepted. Regardless, there's no

27:37 question about its classification as a dramas. When it comes to the forlims, Ostroaptor had relatively short arms, which it shares with a few other dramas like Chanuraptor, Genuan Long, and Mahakala. These short arms have led to comparisons with Tyrannosaurus, though the two aren't closely related. In fact, aside from its short forms, Ostroaptor has a number of features that set it apart from other driosaurs, including a very pneumatic lacrimal bone and a reduced post orbital bone. In a 2012 study, Ostraaptor was placed in the subf family unen of the drama family alongside butaptor. This suggested that it was

28:25 closely related to butaptor particularly because of similarities in the neck vertebrae. Unen Lagginas, like other ostra were likely built for speed and endurance, suggesting they were fast, agile predators, likely hunting small, fast prey. Their long, slender legs would have helped them chase down prey over long distances, very different from the stockier, ambush hunting dramas found in the northern continents. As for Ostroaptor's diet, it's a bit unclear, but its conical non-serrated teeth suggest it might have preyed on larger animals, maybe even fish, since its teeth are similar to those of piscorous dinosaurs. The fossil was found in sediments that date back to the

29:13 Campanian mastrician stages. So it lived in a world populated by a variety of dinosaurs including hydrosaurids like a bonaparttosaurus and a colosaurus and titanosaurs like laplatosaurus and rockosaurus. What makesaptor even more fascinating is how it helps us understand the diversity of therapod evolution in the southern hemisphere. As one of the largest dramasids of all time, Ostraaptor likely played the role of an apex predator alongside other formidable creatures like Carnotaurus and Quilmesaurus. This discovery shows how large Dasaurs filled the ecological niches left by earlier predators, helping us understand how these creatures evolved to dominate their

29:58 environments. Aurus, which literally means evil lizard, is a super intriguing dinosaur from the late Cretaceous about 70 million years ago, found in Asia. First described by paleontologist Renshin Barzbold back in the 1980s, this dramas has been capturing attention ever since. At around 2.4 to 3.5 m long, that's about 7.8 8 to 11.5 ft and weighing between 36 to 87 kg, 80 to 192 lb, Edosaurus was no small fry. But here's where it gets interesting. Unlike its dramas cousins, this dinosaur sported a smaller, more blunt sickle claw. No

30:44 sharp scary claws like you'd expect from its relatives. This suggests Adosaurus probably didn't use its claws in the same way. Or maybe it had a different style altogether. And then there's that recurved lacrial bone, which is a cool feature it shares with Ostraaptor. Originally spotted in 1977, Barzbold didn't officially name Adosaurus until 1983, calling it Adosaurus Mongoliansis after the region where the fossils were discovered. The name Adosaurus, originally spotted in 1977, Basbold didn't officially name Adosaurus until 1983, calling it Adosaurus Mongoliansis after the region where the fossils were discovered. The name Adosaurus comes from Ada, the

31:32 Mongolian word for evil spirit and Sorus, meaning lizard in Greek. At first, Edosaurus was slotted into the drums group known for the big beefy deep jaw types, but later revisions placed it in Velocirapa, which includes the smaller, swifter species like Velociraptor. This switch came after closer looks at its skeletal structure. The holotype, a partial skull, vertebrae, limbs, and pelvic bones, showed off a few unique features like a cool expanding maxillary projection and odd triangular projections on the quadrate bone. The skull structure also hints at how Adosaurus might have hunted. With a vertical quadrate bone and special lower

32:18 jaw, it could have had a different hunting strategy than other dramas. Its smaller sickle claw on the second toe still had that signature rounded articulation which confirmed it was part of the Dasaur family even though it wasn't as gnarly as the claws of other species. Despite its smaller sickle claw, Edosaurus was a robust, speedy creature. Some paleontologists think the dramasids like it might have hunted like modern birds of prey. Think hawks or eagles using their claws to pin down smaller prey. and maybe even feeding on it while it was still alive. Living in the rich and varied environments of the nemeg formation, think stream channels, mud flats, and

33:04 shallow lakes, Adosaurus wasn't alone. It shared its world with a host of other dinosaurs from the massive Tabosaurus and Dino Chyus to smaller planteaters like Soralophus and Theraisenosaurus. Plus, it had plenty of company in the form of ovaraptorsaurs, or onimosaurs, and trododontits, making this an action-packed place for a predator like Edosaurus. If I had to pick just one place in time to introduce someone to dinosaurs, it would absolutely be Hell Creek 65 million years ago. Picture it. A lush forested landscape with temperatures similar to modern-day Spain, home to some of the most iconic dinosaurs you can imagine. You could watch a massive triceratops plotting

33:51 through the woods, see a herd of Edmontosaurus grazing nearby, hear the sounds of two pachy sephilosaurus clashing their thick skulls, and keep a safe distance from the heavy clubbed tail of an Ankallosaurus. And of course, you'd encounter the most famous of them all, Tyrannosaurus Rex. In one afternoon, you could witness a sereratopsian, a hydrosaur, a pachy sephilosaur, an ankulosaur, and a tyrannosaur all in action. But now, thanks to other fossils discovered, you can even add a large dramas, better known as a raptor, to that impressive list. Meet Dakota Raptor Steiny, a dinosaur that burst onto the scene in

34:37 2015 as a giant feathered predator from the very end of the age of dinosaurs. Its name literally means thief from Dakota, a nod to both its discovery in South Dakota and its presumed predatory lifestyle. But while this raptor had the makings of a prehistoric superstar, big, feathered, and fierce, its story has turned out to be a bit more complicated than expected. Back in 2005, paleontologist Robert Depal was digging in Harding County, South Dakota, when he stumbled across a treasure trove of fossils in a late Cretaceous riverbed. Among the remains was a partial skeleton that stood out. It belonged to what looked like a massive dramas. More bones trickled in from the site over time, and

35:23 in 2015, the species Dakota Raptor Steiny was officially named and described. The name combines Dakota with raptor, Latin for plunderer, and honors paleontologist Walter Stein, with the species name. The original skeleton, the holotype, was missing its skull, but had a fair bit preserved. Back and tail vertebrae, arms, legs, claws, and even some hand and footbones. Additional specimens included lighter built bones, likely representing a more grassile version of the animal. Some researchers have suggested this might be a case of sexual dimmorphism. Males and females looking slightly different. But not everything labeled Dakotaaptor turned out to be from a raptor. Several bones initially thought to be part of the

36:08 skeleton, including elements identified as the wishbone or fcula were later revealed to belong to soft shell turtles, specifically a turtle called Axistemis Splendida. Even some of the raptor bones might actually come from other dinosaurs like kagids or ornithomimosaurs. To make things trickier, the type specimen is held in a private collection limiting access for further study. Controversy aside, if Dakotaraptor really was a raptor, it was a monster. This thing stretched about 5.5 m or 18 ft long and could have weighed between 220 and 350 kg, 485 to 770 lb. That's around the same size

36:54 league as Utah Raptor, the heavyweight champion of the Dasosaurid family. But unlike the stocky Utah Raptor, Dakota Raptor had a leaner, more agile build, more like a scaled up version of a dynigus. Its legs were long and built for speed. The tibia shin bone was unusually long, around 68 cm or 26.7 in and about 22% longer than the feur or thigh bone. A sign of a fastmoving predator. The foot claws were straight out of a nightmare, especially the second toe claw, the classic raptor sickle, which measured about 24 cm or 9.4 in along the curve. The enlarged flex tubicle on that claw

37:40 suggests it had powerful slashing capabilities. One of the most exciting discoveries in the Dakota Raptor story was its wings. Now, don't get too excited. This animal wasn't soaring through the skies, but it did have long feathered arms with bones that showed clear evidence of large quill knobs, bumps where flight feathers would have been attached. These knobs are strong indicators of prominent feathers. Even though Dakotaraptor was way too big to fly, it's the largest known dramas with confirmed wing feathers. Why keep the feathers? There are plenty of theories. They could have been used for display, mating rituals, protecting nests, or even helping to balance while taking down prey. It's likely Dakotaraptor descended from smaller flying ancestors

38:27 and just held on to the feathered arms over time. When it was first described, Dakotaraptor was placed within Dasosauriday, closely related to Dasosaurus and Utah. But newer studies have been more cautious. Some researchers now consider Dakota a possible chimera, a fossil mashup of more than one species, which could mean it doesn't belong squarely in the Dasaurid family at all. Instead, it might be a more general manny raptor form, a broader group that includes dramas, birds, and other bird-like theropods. Meetatrosaptor Marali, a name that literally means savage thief. Sounds dramatic, right? And honestly, it

39:12 kind of was. This small but gnarly raptor lived during the lake Cretaceous, roaming the lush, wet landscapes of what is now Alberta, Canada around 72 million years ago. The story of Atrosiaptor starts in 1995 when the fossil collector named Wayne Marshall stumbled across a partial skull in the Horseshoe Canyon Formation. Fast forward to 2008 and that fossil officially became the holotype for a brand new species named in honor of its discoverer. At Trosiaptor wasn't a big dinosaur. It was about 1.8 to 2 m long. Think 6 feet nose totail and weighed maybe 15 kg, around 33 lb. Like other dramas, it likely had feathers, long arms, a stiffened tail for balance,

39:58 and that classic raptor trait, a big curved claw on each second toe. But here's where it gets interesting. A Drosiaptor didn't look like your average raptor. It had a deeper snout than most of its cousins, and its teeth were sharply tilted backward and nearly all the same size. That unusual combo sets it apart from more famous relatives like Velociaptor or Dinis. The fossil skull isn't complete, but it gives us a pretty solid idea of what this animal looked like. The front of the upper jaw of the premaxula was taller than it was long, which is kind of rare. It had some unique openings in the Maxilla 2, like a large rounded maxillary finestra and another one directly beneath it, which is an odd arrangement for a

40:43 raptor. Inside those jaws were tightly packed bladelike teeth with serrations on both edges, front and back. The ones in the upper jaw were especially steep and nearly uniform in size, which is unusual among raptors, most of which had varied tooth sizes. The lower jaw was more typical with a long shallow groove on the inside and a few small openings for nerves and blood vessels. It probably held around a dozen teeth, slightly smaller than those in the upper jaw. At first, scientists thought a troeraptor belonged to the velociraptor group, but more recent research suggests it fits better in a different group called Sauronesta alongside raptors like

41:29 bambberaptor and soritholstes. The deep snout might even point to some specialized feeding habits. Maybe it was going after tougher or larger prey than its lighter built relatives. The original fossil came from the horse thief member, one of the oldest layers of the horseshoe canyon formation. This area during the early Marriian stage was a humid low-lying region filled with standing water, essentially a swampy coastal plane near the edge of the western interior seaway. Coal, mudstone, and shell deposits ripped in organic material point to a lush, saturated environment. Even turtles loved it here. There are tons of turtle fossils in these layers. But Alberta didn't stay swampy forever. Over time, the seaway began to

42:16 recede and the climate slowly shifted to something drier and more inland. These environmental changes likely reshaped the local ecosystem. Though it's hard to say exactly how Atrosiaptor was affected, its fossils are pretty rare. That said, isolated teeth from other parts of the formation, especially from the younger Tolman member have been linked to Atrosiaptor. If those ideas are correct, it means this little predator stuck around for at least 2 million years, adapting as the landscape changed. Even during drier times, the area still experienced major flooding events. In fact, one such event likely created the famous Alberttosaurus bone bed, which also happens to contain teeth attributed to

43:01 Atrosiaptor. And while things got briefly wetter again near the end of the Cretaceous around 68 million years ago, there's no evidence that Atrosiaptor was still around by then. It either moved on or bowed out for good. Halscaraptor is easily one of the strangest little dinosaurs we've ever discovered. It was found in Mongolia and lived during the late Cretaceous. And honestly, it looks like what you'd get if a raptor, a duck, and a crocodile had a prehistoric baby. So far, there's just one known species, Hulkaraptor Esquili. What makes it so unusual is that a lot of its features suggest it might have been semi-aquatic. The main fossil, what scientists call a holotype,

43:47 has traits you'd expect in animals that spend time in the water, like crocodiles or diving birds. That sparked a pretty heated debate in the paleontology world. Some researchers think it paddled around in lakes or rivers hunting for prey, while others think it stayed on dry land and just looked a bit odd. Halscaraptor is part of a group of early raptors called Halscaraptor along with dinosaurs like Mahakala and Hulanpies. This whole group sits near the base of the Dasaur family tree which basically means these guys are among the earliest and most primitive members of the Raptor clan. The fossil itself has a bit of a dramatic backstory. It was probably dug up from the Jadoca

44:33 Formation in southern Mongolia, a famous spot for Cretaceous fossils. But instead of going straight into scientific hands, it was illegally collected before 2011 and passed through private hands in Japan and the UK. Eventually, it ended up with a fossil dealer who realized it might be something new and brought it to a team of researchers in Belgium in 2015. They took a closer look using synretron scans to see inside the fossil without breaking it. What they found was that the skeleton was mostly intact and real, although a few parts had been glued or filled in. Thankfully, the fossil was later returned to Mongolia and is now safely stored. This fossil dates back around 75 million years to the late Campanian stage of the Cretaceous. The dino was

45:20 about the size of a duck, but with some serious quirks. Its head was around 7 cm or 2.8 8 in long and its neck stretched 20 cm or 7.9 in, about half the total distance from its snout to its hips. That's a proportion you don't usually see in other meateing dinosaurs. Its neckbones were stretched out and simplified, missing the usual spines and ridges you'd expect. Even its tail was short and flexible instead of the stiff rod-like tails that other raptors had. The snout totally unique. It was wide and flat, kind of spoon-shaped and packed with teeth. 11 in each premaxula, which is the highest count we've seen in any dinosaur. The teeth up front were

46:05 long, tightly packed, and curved, while the ones farther back were chunkier and more spaced out. The lower jaw probably had around 20 to 25 teeth. It also had some unusual facial features. Its nostrils were pushed back and pointed slightly upward, and its snout was covered in tiny nerve and blood vessel channels, very similar to what we see in crocodiles today. That might mean it had some kind of sensory system to detect movement in the water. When it was first described in 2017, researchers suggested Hull's Caraptor was a semi-aquatic predator. They pointed out it had powerful back legs for running, smaller for lilims that looked a bit like flippers, and a short tail that might have helped it balance in water. Its body shape reminded them of birds like

46:52 merges, those long necked ducks that use their wings to paddle after fish. With all those teeth, the long neck, and that crocodile-like snout, it looked like it could have been hunting aquatic prey. But since it was still a dinosaur, it would have had to come into land to lay eggs. Not everyone agrees with the swimming idea. A few years after its discovery, some researchers raised doubts about whether its anatomy really supported an aquatic lifestyle. They pointed out that a lot of modern water birds don't actually show the same features paleontologists look for when guessing if a dinosaur swam, like flattened claws or denser bones. Later on, another group of scientists looked at its bone density and found it was actually pretty low, more like a land

47:38 animal than something built for diving. That seemed like a major blow to the swimming hypothesis. But the original team pushed back, arguing that even excellent swimmers like swans have low bone density. So, the argument is still very much alive. Then, in 2024, another team added a new twist. They analyzed the shape of HCAP's skull and estimated its bite force. And their conclusion, it probably wasn't built to catch fish. Instead, it may have been better suited to hunting insects or other small prey. Its big eye socket suggests it might have had excellent vision in low light, maybe letting it hunt at night or in murky water. Akilobat meaning Achilles hero was a large ground dwelling predator from the

48:25 lake cretaceous around 96 to 89 million years ago. Found in Mongolia's Bayan Shira formation, this dramas therapod is the first and largest of its kind discovered there. The genus is monotapic with the only known species being achilore giganticus. This dinosaur was a hefty bipeedal carnivore measuring about 4.5 to 5 meters or 15 to 16 feet long and weighing between 250 and 350 kg 550 to 770 lb. One of the largest known dramas, it was built stocky with a deep body and robust legs. Unlike the typical lighter build of other dramas, Akilabaur had short arms, a powerful sickle claw on

49:12 each second toe, and a robust skeleton that made it a fearsome predator of its time. It's likely that it hunted larger prey using those claws. A killer belongs to the Dosaurid family, specifically the Udromeosaurid group, which consisted of hypercarnous, primarily terrestrial dinosaurs. While it was closely related to species like dramasaurus and Utah raptor, a kiloba had a stockier, less cursorial, not built for high speeded running build. Its anatomy suggested it wasn't built for sprinting, but was suited for hunting larger, slower prey. The pelvic girdle of Akilobats also stood out with primitive features such

49:57 as a vertically aligned pubis with a large boot, a characteristic that differentiated it from other dramas. Despite some early debates about whether its bones belong to a single individual, the consistent preservation and semi articulation of the specimen support its classification as one creature. The skull of Ikilobat was large with a robust and deep maxul or upper jaw measuring about 29 cm. Its teeth was serrated and recurved, indicating it could handle tougher prey. The structure of its hind limbs and pelvis suggested it wasn't an ultraast runner, but it had strong muscular legs and likely possessed the ability to leap or move

50:43 with moderate speed. The sickleclaw, often associated with climbing in smaller species like microaptor, was likely used by achilab for an aggressive predatory style rather than tree climbing. Researchers in 2009 and 2011 proposed that dramas, like modern-day birds of prey, could have used their sickle claws to leap on prey, immobilize it, and feed on it while still alive. In 2020, further studies highlighted Akilabur's robust snout, which suggested it had a diet focused on larger prey, unlike other Udramas from Asia, which were adapted to feed on smaller, faster animals. The remains of Achila were

51:28 discovered in the Burkant locality of the Bay Shira formation, an area with semi-arid river environments. The climate was likely slightly semierid with extensive lakes, rivers, and meadows. Fossilized plant life including angioperms like cornans and fruits indicates that the ecosystem was diverse and teeming with life during the senomanian to sanonian stages of the lake cretaceous. This was a dynamic time and a kilobore would have been a top predator navigating a landscape filled with both large prey and lush vegetation. Microaptor is a captivating dinosaur that offers a rare glimpse into the evolution of flight. This small

52:15 four-winged dramas lived during the early cretaceous around 125 to 120 million years ago and was first discovered in Leaing China. Initially described as three species, recent studies suggest they are variations of one species. Microaptor Shiaanis, the genus Cryptovolins, another four-winged dinosaur, is now considered synonymous with Microaptor. One of the most remarkable aspects of Microaptor is its extensive feather coverage. Unlike most dinosaurs, its feathers extended not only to its arms and tail, but also to its legs, forming a unique four-winged body. In 2003, paleontologist Zu Shing described the

53:02 first specimen as a four-winged dinosaur, speculating that it could glide using all four limbs. While initial theories suggested gliding, further studies proposed that Microaptor may have been capable of powered flight, reshaping our understanding of flight evolution. Microaptor was small by dinosaur standards. The holotype of Microaptor Gree measured about 77 cm or 2.5 ft in length with a wingspan of around 88 to 94 cm or 3 ft and weighed only.5 to 1.4 kg. 1.1 to 3.1 lb. Larger specimens reach lengths of 80 cm or 2.6 feet and wingspans of 99 cm or 3.25 ft.

53:48 Despite its small size, Microaptor was one of the most abundant non-avian dinosaurs in its ecosystem with more than 300 specimens cataloged. This abundance has provided a detailed view of its anatomy, including evidence of primary feather molting, an uncommon behavior in therapods. Microaptor's feathers were long and penacious, well-developed vein-like feathers covering its arms, tail, and legs. These feathers likely provided aerodynamic surfaces similar to modern bird wings. Its tail with a diamond-shaped fan of feathers likely provided stability during flight. Studies of its fossilized melanosomes or pigment cells suggest Microaptor had glossy iridescent

54:34 feathers which could have been used for communication or mating displays similar to modern birds like stings. Microaptor's flight adaptations were unique. It had four wings, one on each forlim and hind limb with the hind wings attached to the feet. These hind wings with long asymmetrical feathers were similar to modern bird flight feathers. This configuration suggests that Microaptor's flight apparatus was sophisticated with flight feathers on both its forlims and legs. The structure is comparable to modern tandem wing aircraft where primary and secondary wings work together for lift and stability. The question of how Microaptor lived and hunted has sparked a debate. Some scientists initially

55:21 thought it was a glider, using its four wings to leap between trees. However, studies of its skeletal structure suggested wasn't as specialized for climbing as previously believed, with its limb proportions more aligned with ground dwelling birds. The extensive hind wings would have made ground movement difficult, and its long fall feathers may have hindered running or prey capture on land. Microaptor was an opportunistic feeder preying on a variety of animals. One specimen revealed the remains of a small mammal in its stomach, marking the first confirmed instance of a theropod dinosaur preying on a mammal. Other specimens contained fish scales, suggesting that Microaptor also hunted fish. Interestingly, studies of Microaptor's eye structure suggest it

56:09 may have been nocturnal. The size of its scaral ring, a bony structure around the eye, implies enhanced vision in low light conditions, a feature common in nocturnal animals. However, the discovery of iridescent plumage raises questions, as no modern birds with iridescent feathers are nocturnal. This discrepancy suggests that Microaptor may have hunted during dawn or dusk, using both its enhanced vision and flashy feathers to communicate or caught. So, let's talk about Areraptor, an extinct but pretty fascinating dinosaur that lived in the Lake Cretaceous right before the big extinction event. This one came from the Hell Creek Formation in Montana, which is known for its rich history and fossils. We're talking about

56:55 around 66 million years ago, just before the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs. Now, Arerero isn't alone in the Hell Creek Formation. It's part of a group of related dinosaurs. It's one of the youngest dramas alongside another species called Dakotaaptor. Yep, there were multiple raptors hanging out in this area. Think of Arera as a close relative of the famous Velociraptor. While the fossils we have from Areraptor mostly come from its jaws, it's still a cool species to study. The name Arceraptor is kind of poetic. Areron comes from Greek mythology meaning the underworld which fits the Hell Creek Formation where these fossils were found and raptor is

57:43 Latin for thief a nod to its predatory nature. The species name Tammer Teorum honors a couple who were big supporters of the Royal Ontario Museum where the fossils are now kept. Speaking of fossils, the main one we have, a specimen with a complete right maxul and some teeth, was discovered by fossil hunters back in 2009. After that, the Royal Ontario Museum brought the fossils and started studying them. These finds helped scientists figure out where Arera fits in the dinosaur family tree. Initially, it was thought to belong to a broader group of raptors, but further research showed it was likely related to other raptors in the velociraptor group. What's also cool

58:29 about our keraraptor is its bites. While its jaws weren't super strong, they were built for quick slashing bites. This tells us that it probably hunted smaller prey using speed and agility, kind of like how Velociraptor is often depicted in popular media. But here's something that makes a keraptor stand out. It's the youngest known drama, living just before the mass extinction that wiped out so many species. The Hell Creek Formation where it lived was like the Jurassic Park of its time. It wasn't just a Keraptor running around. There were famous species like Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops along with other raptors like Dakota. At first, it was thought a keraptor was the only raptor in the

59:14 formation, but then Dakota Raptor was discovered, and the story got a little more interesting. The Hell Creek Formation wasn't just home to the raptors, though. It was a diverse ecosystem with all sorts of creatures. There were other big theropods like nanotyrannas, which might actually just be young Tyrannosaurus, and ornithomeids, which were ostrich-like dinosaurs. Birds too made an appearance with species like Avisosaurus and Broad Davis Balei. On top of that, you had herbivores like Triceratops, Hydrosaurus, and even some Pachy Sephilosaurs. And let's not forget about the mammals. They were there too, coexisting with the dinosaurs. You had small mammals like parasimic somus and

1:00:01 proton gulletum giving us a peak at the quieter creatures of the time. The ones that didn't get the limelight like the big dinosaurs. So let's wrap it up. Aaraptor is a pretty important part of our understanding of dinosaurs just before the big extinction event. Its discovery helps us learn more about raptors, their role in ecosystems, and just how diverse life was during the final days of the Cretaceous. It's a snapshot of an ecosystem full of life, right on the edge of chaos. Let's talk about Linharaptor, a slick bird-like predator that roamed what's now Inner Mongolia, China during the Lake Cretaceous. This little Raptor was part of the same crew as Velociraptor. And even though it wasn't

1:00:48 huge, just under 2 m long or 6.6 feet and weighing around 25 kilos or 55 lb, it was built for speed and agility. Picture a feathered, lightning fast hunter probably darting after small prey like baby sereratopsians. The fossil was dug up in 2008 by paleontologists Jonah Shaneier and Michael Pitman. And here's the cool part. The skeleton they found was nearly complete and still articulated, which is a big deal when it comes to raptors. It came from the Wuluanshai Formation, a rock layer that's super similar to Mongolia's Jack Doctor formation, the same place that gave us alltime

1:01:33 favorites like Velociraptor and Sargon. Linharaptor Exquisitius, that's its full name, got officially named in 2010 by Shu Xing and his team. The name Linharaptor comes from the Linhard district where it was discovered, and Exquisitus is a shout out to just how insanely well preserved the fossil is. The holotype is one of the cleanest, most complete dramas skeletons anyone's ever found. No squishing, no bone soup, just a crisp look at a real deal Cretaceous predator. Anatomy-wise, Linaraptor had all the usual Raptor gear. A long curved neck, sharp teeth, a stiff tail for balance, and those classic sickle claws on each foot, ideal for hooking into prey. It

1:02:18 was bipedal and definitely built for the chase. When it comes to dino relatives, it was most closely related to sargon mongus. They share a bunch of features, especially in the skull, like a big opening in the upper jaw called the maxillary fenestra. But lineraptor also skips out on some traits we see in the more advanced raptors like velociaptor. So it falls somewhere in the middle. Not super primitive, but not fully decked out either. Now, here's where things get a little spicy. Some researchers think Linaraptor might actually be the same dino as Sargon. But in 2015, Shu and the gang clapped back with new data, pointing out enough differences to keep Linoraptor standing as its own genus. A

1:03:04 full-on deep dive monograph is still in the works, so we haven't heard the last of this speedy little predator just yet. Let's talk about one of the strangest little predators to ever paddle through the lake Cretaceous. Nano Ventor polyontis. The name alone, which means swimming hunter with many teeth, kind of gives away the punchline, doesn't it? This was no ordinary land roaming raptor. Nope. This one might have been built for the water. Discovered in the barren Goyat formation of Mongolia's Omnogi province. Nanoventor comes from a stretch of ancient Earth that used to be a dusty flood plane scattered with lakes, streams, and the occasional desert windstorm. The fossil itself is

1:03:50 beautifully preserved, almost the full skeleton with a nearly complete skull still in place. For paleontologists, that's like hitting the jackpot. It was first teased in a 2019 abstract, but the full reveal came in 2022 thanks to a team of researchers led by Sunchin Lee and Yan Nan Lee with dino legend Philip Curry also on board. Their paper didn't just describe another small therapod. It added fuel to a debate that's been dividing dino fans and experts for years. Were some of these raptors actually semiacquatic? That question first came up with Hulkaraptor, another oddball dramas. But a lot of folks weren't totally sold. Then along came Natto

1:04:36 Ventor. Tiny, sleek, and showing off a bunch of features that scream I swim. Let's start with the basics. Size-wise, Natenator was a lightweight, only about 70 cm or 27.6 in long, and dipping the scales at just 300 g or 66 lb. That's about the size of a pigeon. If that pigeon had a mouthful of tiny steak knives and was not that long, it had a long neck, a skinny snout, and a mouth lined with 13 sharp teeth in the premaxula alone. That kind of dental setup perfect for snapping up slippery prey like fish. Its skeleton packs in some really telling details. The upper jaw had a long groove flanked by ridges, possibly linked to a sensitive whisker-like system for detecting

1:05:22 movement underwater. The ribs pointed backwards, giving its body a streamlined profile, kind of like what you see in diving birds and marine reptiles. Even its arms might have been shaped to help with paddling, which has led some to imagine Nattoventor flapping through the water like a dino duck with attitude. And speaking of ducks, the whole animal probably looked a bit like one. Paleontologist Gregory Scott Paul actually compared it to modern water foul. Imagine a feathered little swimmer with a raptor's claws, birdlike posture, and the attitude of a hungry penguin. That's an adoventor. Digging deeper, the vertebrae lacked air sacks which are pretty standard for land dwelling therapods and the structure of the

1:06:08 spine. Especially these zygopises and the parapises showed similarities to birds like hesperis which were built for diving. Its nostrils sat farther back on the skull too like in crocodiles and other aquatic hunters. When researchers ran the numbers in phoggenetic analysis, they placed nattovenentor as a fairly advanced hal carraptorine, more derived than halscarraptor itself. That's a big deal because it shows that this group was probably experimenting with life in the water for quite a while, not just a one-off fluke. One especially cool detail, the way its teeth were replaced more slowly in the front of the mouth. that could have allowed it to maintain a full set of large catching teeth at all

1:06:55 times. All in all, Nattoventor wasn't just a new name on the dinosaur roster. It was a gamecher. It gave solid anatomical proof that at least some raptor relatives were trying out semi-aquatic lifestyles, mixing the best of the land and water hunting. And while we still don't know exactly how it swam, was it paddling like a penguin or more like a crocodile? One thing's clear, this dino wasn't afraid to get its feet wet. It all started with a breeze, a hill, and a 14-year-old named Wes Linster hiking near Glacia National Park in 1995. Wes wasn't after fame, just fossils. But what he found sticking out of that Montana hillside wasn't just another bone. It was the start of

1:07:41 something big. The nearly complete skeleton of a tiny dinosaur. Wes had the good sense to get his mom instead of digging it up for himself. That decision kicked off one of the most exciting paleontological finds of the decade. The skeleton was about 95% complete. An extraordinary level of preservation. Small bird-like and lightning fast looking. This creature had long arms, grasping fingers, and a skull that looked more like a bird's than a reptiles. When scientists at Yale, the University of Canvas, and the University of New Orleans saw it, it was stunned. It was dubbed the Rosetta Stone of small therapods, a fossil that could unlock secrets about the link between dinosaurs and birds. Yale paleontologist John

1:08:28 Ostramm, who helped revive the dino bird theory in the 60s, called it a jewel. In 2000, it was officially named Bambberaptor fine bergie. Bambi for its youth, Raptor for its predatory nature, and Finebergie in honor of the Fineberg family, who ensured the fossil reached scientists instead of a private collector. But Bambberaptor raised just as many questions as it answered. Was it its own species or just a juvenile Sauron estes? Some even thought the skeleton might be a chimera, a mix of bones from multiple animals. What made Bambberaptor stand out though was its brain. Despite its small size, less than a meter long, weighing only 2 kg, it had a relatively large brain, especially in

1:09:15 areas tied to agility and coordination. Some scientists think it may have lived in trees. One study even suggested it had opposable fingers, possibly able to hold food like a raccoon. Feathers weren't preserved, but given its evolutionary relatives, most paleontologists agree Bambberaptor was feathered. It likely darted through ancient forests like a tiny sharp clawed squirrelhawk. Today, its skeleton rests at the American Museum of Natural History. Tiny in size, huge in significance. Bambiraptor reminds us that sometimes the biggest evolutionary leaps come from the smallest creatures. Imagine a dinosaur so birdlike you might mistake it for something out of a modern avary. Except for one twist, it couldn't

1:10:04 fly. Meet Genuan Longi, a dramasur from early Cretaceous, China that looked like a bird of prey, but was grounded for life. Discovered near the town of Sha Dang in Leaning Province and named after Xen Yuan Sunun who helped preserve the fossil. Genuan Long lived about 125 million years ago. The fossil described in 2015 by paleontologists Lu Yung Chang and Steven Bruschett revealed a nearly complete skeleton with extraordinary preservation, including feathers. And not just a few feathers. Shenuanl long had broad veined wings with primaries, secondaries, and coverts arranged much

1:10:49 like in modern birds. Its tail was decked out in long, stiff feathers, and it even had a fluffy covering of filaments across its body. Visually, it would have resembled a giant bird more than a classic dinosaur, something like a turkey-sized raptor with the wings of an eagle. But here's the catch. It was too big to fly. At nearly 2 m or 6.6 6 feet long and weighing around 20 kg or 44 lb. It had short arms and a heavy build. Not the kind of proportions that make for a good flyer. So why would a flightless dinosaur have wings this elaborate? That's the puzzle. Genuine long is the first large dramas known to possess such complex flight grade feathers. Its anatomy suggests it wasn't

1:11:36 built for flying. Yet its plumage was far from primitive. One possibility is that it descended from smaller flight capable ancestors like Microaptor and eventually lost the ability to fly. A pattern we see in some modern birds. Alternatively, the wings may have served other purposes. Cordchip displays, intimidation, egg protection, or even

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