[Rockhounds] The evolutionary twist that could have helped dinosaurs rule Earth

[Kreigh Tomaszewski]

Dinosaur means “terrible lizard.” The idea that the prehistoric creatures
were scaly, sluggish reptiles with sprawling postures that dragged their
tails through tropical swamps is deeply imprinted in the collective
imagination.

However, science now has a more nuanced understanding of the diversity of
dinosaur physiology. Many dinosaurs sported brightly colored feathers
<https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/15/americas/dinosaur-with-mane-ribbons-discovery-scn-trnd/index.html>
like
birds. Dinos lived in many different ecosystems, including the Arctic,
where they would have encountered snow (if not the ice caps of today) and
winters devoid of light.

New research this week is adding fresh detail to one of paleontology’s
biggest questions: Did dinosaur blood run hot or cold?

https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/18/world/dinosaurs-warm-blooded-science-newsletter-wt-scn/index.html