How Did Giant Pterosaurs Fly?

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The largest pterosaurs like Quetzalcoatlus were closer in size to airplanes than birds. No flying animal alive today comes close to their huge size. So did giant pterosaurs actually fly? I went to see the fossil bones of the largest pterosaur that ever lived so I could learn how these winged giants actually took to the skies.

Special thanks:
Matthew Brown/University of Texas Vertebrate Paleontology Collection

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[evansokolson]

Human: I’ve got a ring finger
Pterosaur: Ha, I’ve got a wing finger

[niklasschmidt]

Pterosaurs be like: Chest day every day.

[thebrainscoop]

If I had a time machine, heading back to see a flock of these in the air is def. a top priority. WICKED.

[ophereon]

"There's a Quetzalcoatlus circling, I'm sorry we can't go outside today, it might eat the kids."
Meanwhile New Zealand just 600 years ago: "There's a Haast's Eagle circling, I'm sorry we can't go outside today, it might eat the kids."

[KayentaRojo]

I friggin love pterosaurs. one of the most amazing animals that have ever lived.

[TheKidOfOnions]

What I learned from this: bats have the potential to be giraffe-sized flying mammals.

[dwaynezilla]

Love the diagrams. "Mad hops" "swole" "in awe at the size of this lad" "absolute unit"
good for a chuckle

[besmart]

Giant pterosaurs are awesome. Who else loves The Brain Scoop and can’t wait to watch Emily’s new show on PBS?! Info about where you can watch it is in the description 🤓

Oh, and one more thing: Quetzalcoatlus is pronounced “ket-zal-co-WAT-lus” but I have a hard time not saying “kwet-zal-co-WAT-lus” because my mouth is dumb and that Q always gets me. Anyway, now you know!

[callmeandoru]

Spiecies name: Cryodrakon.
Me trying to explain it to my 4-year-old cousin: Its a crying dragon

[JustinLHopkins]

“I don’t wanna laugh at Pterosaurs”

I don’t think they’ll mind at all!

[TheBassManBoy]

I appreciate the banana during the wingspan infographic. Really helps with scale.

[miriam]

Birds, are very good jumpers! I have a hooded crow under my care, that had lost one wing. He can jump from the floor right onto a table without any assistance from wings

[newtscamander]

I'm not going to lie, I got super jealous that you got to see those quetzalcoatlus fossils...

[Jukelikesgames]

Imagine a Ptersaurs nest and their babies and their nest behavior. Aghhh would be so interesting to see.

[StoneCoolds]

Imagine the thousands of amazing animals that existed on those peiriods and we will never know

[lermi]

Now I cant decide what would be cooler: seeeing a T-rex biting somethin or seeing the giant pterosaurus take flight

[MungareMike]

The reason this flying giant extinct: the males can't afford wedding ring

[jacobandrews]

This is so cool! Also, yes, Cryodrakon is definitely the coolest name any animal has had ever

[Dragoevo]

People who play ARK: pathetic, I did not know people were so stupid. THIS IS COMMON KNOWELEDGE!
(In a russian accent)

[wtfooqs]

Fun fact: Bird bones aren't hollow to make them lighter. They're hollow so they can store extra air and oxygen needed for powering the bird's op flying muscles.