How scientists solved this dinosaur puzzle

We’ve never found a fully intact T. Rex, but we know how to build one.

When paleontologists uncover a dinosaur they usually only find part of the animal, but when we walk through a museum we see exhibits that paint a full picture – so how do they fill in all those blank spaces? In the early 1900’s artists used to hand carve the pieces, but we’ve come a long way in the past century  – both technologically and scientifically.

Now, we’re living in what some call a “golden age” for paleontology. Researchers are uncovering nearly one new species of dinosaur a week – making building exhibits easier and more efficient.

Note: The headline for this video has been updated since publishing.
Previous headline: How to build a dinosaur

[bjmccann]

As a practicing necromancer, it took me several disappointing trips to natural history museums before I finally figured out that most of the "skeletons" on display were made of fiberglass or resins. Sigh!

[Ariestotolz]

T rex : dude I'm gigantic.
Chicken : you are just me but bigger.

[cartersmith]

You know what would be really cool to see in more museums? Exhibits that were color coated or something to show what’s real, what was synthesized and what’s something we haven’t discovered yet. Like I get it that it’s nice to see what the full skeleton most likely looked like but I think this could be done while still achieving the same effect. Besides it’d be more honest and it’d make seeing a full or nearly complete skeleton that much more impressive.

[whitestorm]

“So you just went and made a new dinosaur?”

[RonuPlays]

So I've lived my whole life not knowing that brontosauruses are incorrect?!

[banjaxed]

haha the name has totally messed up the recommendations, I can only hope this'll lead to some children learning cool paleontology facts.

[creepystares]

Jurassic Park had a huge effect on the growth of this field. So many kids grew up to be dinosaur investigators. It's awesome to have seen.

[HenryThong]

This interview shot is the best one I've ever seen out of a Vox video so far. Amazing framing and depth of field guys!

[JOJO-sjsn]

Ok. What is up with these children review channel on recommended.

[masterdan]

Watches how to build a dinosaur*
“Don’t come to school tomorrow”

[anniel]

"We're in a paleontology golden age" is the best news I've heard in a long time.

[vmwindustries]

This channel has been getting much better over the years. Good job Vox staff!

[adumsundler]

Brontosaurus is a valid genus again. Apatosaurus and Brontosaurus have been seperated for atleast 2 years. C'mon Vox get with the times.

[BatteredWalrus]

now all we need is Walking with Dinosaurs II, get on it BBC.

[flyingfoxb]

0:34 None of it is mounted there, VOX. The fossil is to fragmentary, fragile, heavy and valuable to string up on a metal sckeleton. They use molds of the elements.

[rayandkai]

I'm not sure if this has already been addressed elsewhere or in the other comments down below, but a slight correction:
Brontosaurus wasn't "renamed" Apatosaurus, the scientists had just mistakenly named one of the newer fossils they had discovered as Brontosaurus, not knowing at the time that they were looking at a species that had already been discovered and named a while ago - Apatosaurus. And surely, sticking the wrong head on the newer fossil didn't help them realize their error either, and so when eventually they had figured it out that Brontosaurus and Apatosaurus were the exact same species, they went with the rules of the naming conventions and stuck with Apatosaurus, since that was the name they had come up with first.


This a just my humble observation, and I love the work you guys are doing. Keep up the good work! :)

[davidfabella]

Ive always wanted to be a paleontologist to find dinosaurs, realizing later that I live in an area that was underwater by the time they existed. This video is heartwarming to see

[theotherside]

*Thanks for this. I've always wondered how the skeletons are completed when they mostly find just a couple of pieces.*

[Heva]

Not sure if had been released when video was made, but Brontosaurs has now been declared a separate genus/species to Apatosaurs.

[timothyhultman]

If you think about it dinasores could have spoken a language and we would have never known