Creatures of Creatures of Myth,Myth,

the science the science behind them, behind them,

and…and…DINOSAURSDINOSAURS

Creatures of mythCreatures of myth

Let’s take a look at some the world’s

most famous creatures of myth and the

scientific explanation behind their origin.

The mermaidThe mermaid

European sailors have

long told tales of fabled

marine creatures with

the head and upper

body of a woman and

the tail of a fish.

One story is that if you

spot a mermaid, you'll

have a shipwreck.

The Scientific explanationThe Scientific explanation• Relatives of manatees, called dugongs, that

live in some of the world's oceans may have supported the belief in mermaids. Dugongs are marine mammals, or warm-blooded animals that can produce milk. Like all mammals, dugongs breathe air to survive. These creatures have paddle like flippers and tails that allow them to gracefully move through the water.

• They stick to shallow waters where they feed on sea grasses. Sailors may have caught a glimpse of dugongs when the animals surfaced to breathe. The sailors may have thought the dugong's head and dolphin-like tail were the body of a mermaid.

The UnicornThe Unicorn• Myths about a magical horse with one

horn are sprinkled throughout history. In many regions of the world, including Europe and East Asia, people believed that the horns of unicorns had magical powers. It was thought that the horn could cure illnesses and prevent aging. In the 16th century, people also believed that the horn could be used to detect if an enemy had poisoned one's food.

The Scientific explanationThe Scientific explanation• Scientists don't know the origin of the myth

of the unicorn. But tusks of a marine animal, called the narwhal, may have advanced the legends. Narwhals are Arctic whales that live in the icy channels of northern Canada and northwestern Greenland. Male narwhals grow a long, spiraled tooth that juts from its upper jaw. This tusk can grow up to 2.7 meters (9 feet) in length-more than half the length of its body.

• Centuries ago, sailors often encountered these animals and brought their pearly white tusks to markets in Europe. Buyers purchased the tusks at high prices, with the belief that they were the horns of once-living unicorns

The KrakenThe Kraken• Legend said these creatures lived at great

depths, but sometimes travelled to the surface and have attacked ships.

• The sheer size and fearsome appearance attributed to the kraken have made it a common ocean-dwelling monster in various fictional works.

Turns out this one is real…Turns out this one is real…• A team of researchers led by zoologist

Tsunemi Kubodera encountered the squid in July near the Ogasawara islands, several hundred miles off the coast of Japan. Using a bioluminescent lure that mimics the glow of jellyfish, Kubodera’s team found the squid and followed it to a depth of nearly 3,000 feet before losing track of the mammoth mollusk

DragonsDragons

• More than a thousand years ago in Europe, people believed that giant fire-breathing dragons guarded hidden stashes of gold. If some of that gold was stolen, the dragon would awaken and unleash fiery destruction on humans.

Scientific explanationScientific explanation

• People have long imagined dragons as being enormous, scaly beasts with huge teeth and claws. People believed so strongly in these lizard like creatures that biologists in Europe once wrote accounts of the behavior and habitat of dragons in much the same way as they described that of lizards and snakes.

• What may have advanced the legend of dragons? The imagined creatures look like close relatives of big animals like the Tyrannosaurus Rex. Dinosaurs died out long before people were alive, but the discovery of dinosaur fossils, the mineralized remains or impressions of an organism, may have supported the ancient belief. When people dug up these fossils, they may have mistaken them for dragon remains.

DinosaursDinosaursWhat do we know about them?What do we know about them?

• Dinosaurs lived on earth more than 215 million years ago

• They lived in most parts of the world

• They ruled the earth for nearly 150 million years

• Dinosaurs have been

extinct for 65 million years • Extinct – something that

once alive but no longer exist anywhere on the earth

How Do We Know About How Do We Know About Dinosaurs?Dinosaurs?

• Paleontologist – scientist who studies fossils• Fossil – what is left of a plant or animal that

lived long ago• Dinosaur – animal that lived millions of years

agoDinosaurs were not lizards or reptiles but many did lay eggs. Some had skin

like crocodiles while others skin was much smoother.

How a Dinosaur Fossil is How a Dinosaur Fossil is Made?Made?

Step 1:Step 1:

A dinosaur lives on A dinosaur lives on Earth and roams the Earth and roams the land.land.

Step 2:Step 2:

A dinosaur dies and A dinosaur dies and its body lays on the its body lays on the land. land.

Step 3:Step 3:

Over time wind and Over time wind and rain help to cover the rain help to cover the dinosaurs body with dinosaurs body with mud, sand, and mud, sand, and leaves. leaves.

Step 4:Step 4:

After millions of years After millions of years the mud, sand, and the mud, sand, and leaves turn to rock. leaves turn to rock. The bones or shape of The bones or shape of the dinosaurs body the dinosaurs body are left in the rock are left in the rock and create a fossil.and create a fossil.

How do Scientist Get How do Scientist Get Fossils?Fossils?

Paleontologist use special tools and chip fossils carefully Paleontologist use special tools and chip fossils carefully from rocksfrom rocks

The fossils are then taken to a museum where they are The fossils are then taken to a museum where they are cleaned, measured, and studied.cleaned, measured, and studied.

Most fossils are found in piecesMost fossils are found in pieces Scientist try to put the fossil pieces together.Scientist try to put the fossil pieces together. ReconstructReconstruct – to rebuild or put together like puzzle pieces – to rebuild or put together like puzzle pieces

What Have Scientist What Have Scientist Learned From Dinosaur Learned From Dinosaur

Fossils?Fossils? There were different There were different

types of dinosaurs:types of dinosaurs:

Some were smallSome were small Like a chickenLike a chicken

Some were tallSome were tall 3 story building3 story building

Some were plant-eatersSome were plant-eaters Flat teethFlat teeth

Some were meat-eatersSome were meat-eaters Sharp teethSharp teeth

More DinosaursMore Dinosaurs

Some walked on 4 legsSome walked on 4 legs Like animals todayLike animals today

Others walked on 2 legsOthers walked on 2 legs With 2 short armsWith 2 short arms

Many could fly like birdsMany could fly like birds Others swam like alligatorsOthers swam like alligators

Dinosaur NamesPaleontologist give each dinosaur a name that best

describes it.

STEGASAURUS:STEGASAURUS:Walked on 4 legsWalked on 4 legs

Plant-eater (flat teeth)Plant-eater (flat teeth)

Sharp plates on backSharp plates on back

Spikes on tailSpikes on tail

Tyrannosaurus Rex• Tyrannosaurus

Rex means “lizard king”

• One of the fiercest of all dinosaurs

• Meat-eater• About 12ft-16ft.

Tall• Walked on 2 legs

Some scientists believe dinosaur extinction happened because an asteroid hit the earth, causing most plants to die.

The herbivores, or plant eating dinosaurs starved without any food.

Another theory of extinction is that asteroids caused massive fires that killed most plant life

and the dinosaurs.

Other scientists believe something drastic happened to

make earth’s global temperatures very cold.

• With temperatures so cold, dinosaurs either froze to death, or all plant life died. Herbivores then had nothing to eat.

Another theory of extinction is that many volcanic eruptions

occurred.

Some scientists believe all the dinosaurs died from disease.

Why did dinosaurs become extinct?

Scientists will continue to study fossils and the earth to try and

find the answer to this question.

No one really knows for sure No one really knows for sure why dinosaurs became why dinosaurs became extinct.extinct.