How do we know what color dinosaurs were? - Len Bloch

The microraptor was a four-winged carnivorous dinosaur with iridescent black feathers. But if our information about this dinosaur comes from fossils, how can we be certain about its color? Len Bloch shows how making sense of the evidence requires careful examination of the fossil and a good understanding of the physics of light and color.

Lesson by Len Bloch, animation by Paul Newell.

[Pippinmog]

Old method: If it looks like a lizard, its colour was green.

[TheRealBit]

How the fuck do scientists even figure this shit out, this is incredible

[RainbowPowerRangerX]

Personally, I think feathered dinosaurs look cooler anyway.

[rogue]

Some guy: The dislikes are all *insert religion here*Me: Nah, the dislikes are just people mad that dinosaurs aren't big scaly lizards anymore.

[ThePaintballgun]

How awesome is it that common birds get their colours from nano-structures that can perfectly deconstruct visible light?

[rabia]

The people at Ted-Ed deserve a Nobel Prize for all the incredible work they're doing. Thank you for your service to humanity, Ted-Ed! <3

[AntiTekk]

I could make a chemistry joke but I wouldn't get a reaction...

[Tunanunaa]

What about dinosaurs with scales and no feathers?

[RezaAP]

TED-Ed never disappoints.
Keep it up.

[gonzesse]

This is the same reason for Peacock's feather colour as well. Nice video!

[iconpanik]

Everyone knows dinosaurs where pink and had large noses and ears duhh

[fig]

Wow, it's amazing what information is contained in a fossil!

[alexbanks]

Can we appreciate the bg music and the multiple references they made in this video? It made it that much more enjoyable to watch it, not that this wasn't an interesting topic already

[Alexandra]

looks like being ted ilustrator is the best job ever

[sunitkokate]

Scientists:
Finds a 2 feet fossil of dinosaur...
Names it "micro"raptor

[jr]

0:12 MeepMeepus? haha
It's like the Road Runner. XD

[dr.house.md.]

That voice is soothing. It makes me sleep at night.

[carriemaxwell]

We've learned a lot since JP 1 in 1993....

[Saguairu]

I always asked myself that! Good to know! I've never understood how all those dinosaurs had no feather, for example, the pterodactyl in Jurassic Park. I used to think that if some other beings ever found our bones, they would think we had no nose or ears.

[nafrost]

2:24 Doesn't it also work for the case when the wavelength is twice the distance between the two reflections, because the wave travels that distance twice (once forward and another backward)?
In that case it's also correct when the wavelength equals the distance between the two reflections, but you can construct all of the cases from the wavelength equals twice the distance case, where you can only construct half of the cases from the wavelength equals distance case (for anyone wandering, I'm talking about finding harmonics).