How fast did dinosaurs really go?
Published In: Science News, 2025, v. 207, n. 9. P. 26 1 of 3
Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3
Authored By: Avritzer, Sofia Caetano 3 of 3
Abstract
The article discusses the reevaluation of methods used to estimate dinosaur speeds based on fossilized footprints, particularly those of large sauropods. Peter Falkingham, a paleobiologist, highlights that traditional equations developed in the 1970s by zoologist Robert McNeill Alexander, which calculate speed from the distance between footprints, may not be accurate for dinosaurs. This is due to differences in the conditions under which footprints form and the anatomical similarities between dinosaurs and modern birds, rather than mammals. Falkingham's recent study using helmeted guinea fowl demonstrates that calculated speeds can significantly overestimate actual movement, suggesting that existing formulas may not reliably apply to extinct species. [Extracted from the article]
Additional Information
- Source:Science News. 2025/09, Vol. 207, Issue 9, p26
- Document Type:Article
- Subject Area:Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
- Publication Date:2025
- ISSN:0036-8423
- Accession Number:187184924
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