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Lots of new discoveries of soft tissues in dinosaurs. Plus new studies to confirm old soft tissues and a new—controversial—iguanodont. For links to every news story, all of the details we shared about Santanaraptor, and our fun fact check out https://iknowdino.com/Santanaraptor-Episode-563/ Join us at www.patreon.com/iknowdino for dinosaur requests, bonus content, ad-free episodes, and more. Dinosaur of the day Santanaraptor, a small theropod found with soft tissue. In dinosaur news this week: There’s a potentially new iguanodont, Paulodon galvensis (but it is controversial)Soft tissues can be preserved in fossils regardless of the species, age of the bones, or where the animal was buriedA new method using Cross-polarized light microscopy (XPol) helps identify organic molecules in fossilsNew Edmontosaurus "mummies" show hooves, small spikes down the tail, and a banded fleshy crest over the neck and backScientists re-evaluated the soft tissue crest of an edmontosaur hadrosaur dinosaurDinosaurs likely had muscles forming cheeksNew titanosaur sauropod tracks found in Mongolia show a lot of soft tissue details in the hands and feet  Tell us what you think about our show in our 2026 IKD Survey! We want our show to be as enjoyable as possible, and your input will help us improve. Head to bit.ly/ikdsurvey26 to help shape the future of I Know Dino! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The debate about whether commercial paleontology (selling fossils) is good or bad is complex. We share our opinions (backed by some recent examples and studies) more openly than we do on our public podcast. Why are fossils valuable? source Are Spinosaurus teeth illegal or immoral to buy? source One of the first big modern dinosaur sales was in 1993, a nest with 10 eggs that was found in China source Update on Spike the caenagnathid which sold in December for about $4.6 million USD source An art historian's take on the for-profit fossil trade source

A new troodontid with a skull like a pachycephalosaur, two new prehistoric birds, the bird evolutionary tree, how birds developed the ability to fly, how we know Microraptor turned out to be a decent flier, and a mathematical rule that shapes theropod faces For links to every news story, all of the details we shared about Archaeopteryx , and our fun fact check out https://iknowdino.com/Archaeopteryx -Episode-562/ Join us at www.patreon.com/iknowdino for dinosaur requests, bonus content, ad-free episodes, and more. Dinosaur of the day Archaeopteryx , the "ancient wing" dinosaur that was originally named for just a single feather, but is now known from over a dozen individuals. In dinosaur news this week: A new troodontid theropod, Xenovenator espinosai, has an extremely thick skull—like a pachycephalosaurScientists have created a complete evolutionary tree of all birds (over 9,000 species)There’s a new neoavian Aequornithes bird from Antarctica, Pujatopouli soberanaThere is a new euornithean bird, Kunpengornis anhuimusei, that has gut contents!How the structure of feathers in the Cretaceous tells us about their evolutionThe specialization of a small wrist bone, the pisiform, helps birds to flyA key wing muscle that helps birds fly appears to have evolved by fusing cells from multiple musclesHow often birds, bats, and insects flap when flying may be related to a built in constraint related to the vortex their wings generate with each flapMore Microraptor specimens (with soft tissues!) show it was a decent flierA set of raptor dinosaur tracks indirectly shows it used its arms to help it run fasterJust because a theropod dinosaur had short arms and not many fingers, doesn’t mean their hands and arms were uselessBirds have a special organ to help them balance (which doesn't seem to matter as much for flight)Birds have been nesting in the Arctic for at least 73 million yearsHow theropod dinosaur (non-avian and bird) faces are shaped may have followed a mathematical ruleA study of the Chicago Archaeopteryx found that could definitely flyBirds need a lot of calories to fly, and Archaeopteryx, the oldest known bird, has three features modern birds also have to eat efficiently  This episode is brought to you by the Colorado Northwestern Community College. Join them for two weeks digging up dinosaur bones in the field, preparing fossils in their lab, or in their new field geology program. For details go to CNCC.edu/paleo26 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This group of "lobe-finned fish" is more closely related to us than to other fish. Their fins/flippers eventually evolved into the limbs that all living birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and other tetrapods have today. The coolest thing about them may be that they are still around today, with surprisingly few changes since their Devonian ancestors 400 million years ago. The woman who first brought them to the attention of modern scientists, Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer, is also a legend in her own right.

Plus a duck-billed dinosaur with a strong jaw and a couple of small dinosaurs from the the U.S. and Europe Join us at www.patreon.com/iknowdino for dinosaur requests, bonus content, ad-free episodes, and more. In dinosaur news this week: A New Jurassic neornithischian dinosaur with a Voice Box. Pulaosaurus qinglong, from China’s Tiaojishan Formation, has only the second larynx ever found preserved with a non-avian dinosaur. SourceThe small ornithischian Enigmacursor mollyborthwickae was found in the Morrison Formation of Colorado. Reminding us that it wasn't just huge sauropods and stegosaurs eating plants in the Late Jurassic. SourceA new ornithopod named Obelignathus septimanicus was identified from a stronger jawbone than other Late Cretaceous ornithopods (like Rhabdodon) in what is now southern France. It's name refers to the French comic character Obelix who has superhuman strength (like the "unusually robustly-built" jawbone on Obelignathus). SourceAn Early Cretaceous basal hadrosauroid, Cariocecus bocagei, was named from Portugal. It had a fused upper jaw and cheekbone, possibly letting it chew tougher plants than its relatives. Source  This episode is brought to you by the Colorado Northwestern Community College. Join them for two weeks digging up dinosaur bones in the field, preparing fossils in their lab, or in their new field geology program. For details go to CNCC.edu/paleo26 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Some of the extra content in this extended version: Dinosaur puns How long it takes to create a painting New photos for the book Large dinosaurs fighting wouldn't be pretty People who had the right idea about tyrannosaurs years ago T. rex wasn't always the most popular dinosaur Every museum seems to have a T. rex skull (even in countries that have their own cool dinosaurs) More on the strangeness of the Tyrannosaurus body plan Gracile vs robust specimens and whether or not they are unique species Speculative T. rex evolution More on Prehistoric Planet The ad free episode resumes after the interview at 1:00:17

Plus a new alvarezsaurid theropod, Manipulonyx; A huge bonebed in Romania; new dinosaur fossils found at Dinosaur National Monument; and our first Dino Duels winners For links to every news story, all of the details we shared about Inosaurus, links from Mark Witton, and our fun fact check out https://iknowdino.com/Inosaurus-Episode-561/ Join us at www.patreon.com/iknowdino for dinosaur requests, bonus content, ad-free episodes, and more. Dinosaur of the day Inosaurus, a dubious theropod known from vertebrae and a piece of its shin. Interview with Mark Witton, a paleontologist, author, and artist, known for his research on pterosaurs and his work with museums, universities, and shows including Walking with Dinosaurs, Planet Dinosaur, Prehistoric Planet, and the IMAX film T. rex. He also has published a number of books, including the recently published King Tyrant. Follow him on bluesky and patreon @markwitton In dinosaur news this week: There’s a new alvarezsaurid theropod, Manipulonyx reshetoviPaleontologists have found thousands of fossils in a bonebed in Romania (Hateg Basin), including bones from titanosaurs and rhabdodontidsNew dinosaur fossils have been found at Dinosaur National Monument  This episode is sponsored by Squarespace, go to https://www.squarespace.com/IKD to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code IKD This episode is brought to you by the Colorado Northwestern Community College. Join them for two weeks digging up dinosaur bones in the field, preparing fossils in their lab, or in their new field geology program. For details go to CNCC.edu/paleo26 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lumping, extended ranges, valid dinosaurs, and first occurrences from around the world Lumping The answer to Stromer's Riddle might be an omnivore A lot of Marsh's ornithopods from the Morrison Formation are probably dubious Range Extended Tenontosaurus appears to have lived in a very broad range all over what is now the United States A Daspletosaurus torosus in Alberta, Canada was reassigned to Daspletosaurus horneri Valid Dinosaurs A new study supports Ulughbegsaurus as a valid dinosaur New fossils of the spinosaurid Camarillasaurus First Findings Nevada had a wide like variety of dinosaurs in the Early Cretaceous including tyrannosauroids, ceratopsians, ankylosaurs, and ornithopods The first lambeosaur was found in Southern China (specifically Sihui City, Guangdong)

Some of the extra content in this extended version: Riley's research process Other things Riley wanted to include but couldn't fit Which bird and dinosaur to pick for phylogenetic bracketing How would dinosaurs move their heads (emus as an example) There aren't that many things that all dinosaurs have in common The huge diversity of dinosaurs that we haven't found fossilized The ad free episode resumes after the interview at 1:11:23

Riley, one of our favorite dinosaur writers, returns to discuss her latest book and lots of other dinosaur topics. Plus a new ceratopsian—Ferenceratops. And a new Dino Duels Championship. For links to every news story, all of the details we shared about Quaesitosaurus, links from Riley Black, and our fun fact check out https://iknowdino.com/Quaesitosaurus-Episode-560/ Join us at www.patreon.com/iknowdino for dinosaur requests, bonus content, ad-free episodes, and more. Dinosaur of the day Quaesitosaurus, a titanosaur with a skull similar to Diplodocus. Interview with Riley Black, an award-winning science writer whose work has appeared in National Geographic, Scientific American, Nature, Smithsonian, and more. She has written a number of books, including “The Last Days of the Dinosaurs,” “When the Earth was Green,” and most recently “The Shortest History of the Dinosaurs”. Follow her on Bluesky @restingdinoface In dinosaur news this week: There’s a new ceratopsian dinosaur, Ferenceratops shqiperorumDinosaurs were “ecosystem engineers” that shaped their landscapes while they were alive—and after they died outA study of New Mexican dinosaurs supports that they were still thriving before the Cretaceous-ending asteroid hit the EarthOur dino duels are going again! Create your bracket here: bit.ly/dinoduelsbracketThen enter your picks for a chance to win a year of Triceratops-level patreon membership at bit.ly/dinoduelspicksComplete rules and restrictions at bit.ly/dinoduelsrules  This episode is sponsored by Squarespace, go to https://www.squarespace.com/IKD to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code IKD This episode is brought to you by the Colorado Northwestern Community College. Join them for two weeks digging up dinosaur bones in the field, preparing fossils in their lab, or in their new field geology program. For details go to CNCC.edu/paleo26 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Titanoboa is a surprisingly close relative to the previous I Know Paleo topic—Mosasaurus. They are both squamates and neither of them are known to be venomous. Titanoboa is the largest snake in the fossil record and one of the biggest reptiles to live after the K–Pg mass extinction, growing up to 42–47 feet (13–14 m) long and possibly weighing over one ton. It was likely semi-aquatic and probably ate mostly fish (evidenced by its grippy closely packed teeth). However, it may have also have preyed on crocodilians and turtles, constricting them like modern boas while using an extra flexible jaw to swallow them whole.

Five new sauropods from all across the world and the sauropod family tree. Plus new embryos and hatchlings, sauropod speed estimates, and much much more. For links to every news story, all of the details we shared about Cetiosauriscus, and our fun fact check out https://iknowdino.com/Cetiosauriscus-Episode-559/ Join us at www.patreon.com/iknowdino for dinosaur requests, bonus content, ad-free episodes, and more. Dinosaur of the day Cetiosauriscus, a sauropod that isn't Cetiosaurus, but was also from Middle Jurassic of England. In dinosaur news this week: Sauropod experts wrote an introduction to DiplodocoideaThere’s a new titanosaur sauropod, Utetitan zellaguymondeweyaeA new Alamosaurus fossil was foundThere’s a new dicraeosaurid sauropod, Athenar bermaniThere’s a new titanosaur sauropod, Yeneen houssayiThere’s a new eusauropod sauropod, Jinchuanloong nieduThere’s a new species of the sauropod Mamenchisaurus, Mamenchisaurus sanjiangensisSome sauropods chose to lay eggs surrounded by fast moving waters, possibly to protect them from predatorsNew Massospondylus embryos and hatchling show how they started on all fours before growing up and walking on two legsLarge sauropods may have had max speeds of 6 mph (10 km/h)A nearly complete Plateosaurus tail shows this sauropodomorph could do damage with its tail  This episode is sponsored by Squarespace, go to https://www.squarespace.com/IKD to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code IKD This episode is brought to you by the Colorado Northwestern Community College. Join them for two weeks digging up dinosaur bones in the field, preparing fossils in their lab, or in their new field geology program. For details go to CNCC.edu/paleo26 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

People started making art with dinosaurs as soon as they were first described. Megalosaurus in particular has gone through quite the transformation over the years. We also discuss some dinosaur sculptures and the history of some famous skeletal mounts. Megalosaurus has the honor of being the first flesh reconstruction of a non-avian dinosaur, but it got eclipsed by other dinosaurs fairly quickly Megalosaurus has also appeared in a number of novels from the 1800s In Drumheller, Alberta, Canada they have Tyra the Tyrannosaurus In Taupo Sculpture Park, in the North Island of New Zealand, there’s a new 23 ft (7 m) tall stainless steel sauropod sculpture, known as Boom Boom, that was installed in March 2025 The Carnegie Museum Diplodocus has an interesting history

WARNING: This extended interview includes a graphic description of a horror escape room (like an intense haunted house) Some of the extra content in this extended version: The all-time riskiest escape room Similarities between dinosaur fans and escape room fans David's proposal using a puzzle box and an escape room Incorporating puzzles into their wedding Weird things that paleontologists do Weird things that puzzle nerds do An escape room publicity event that involved driving around New York City The ad free episode resumes after the interview at 1:06:13

New track sites, swim tracks, and mating dance arenas around the world tell us about the behavior of theropods, ceratopsians, and sauropods. Plus David Spira joins from Room Escape Artist to share his favorite dinosaur themed escape rooms. For links to every news story, all of the details we shared about Segnosaurus, links from David Spira, and our fun fact check out https://iknowdino.com/Segnosaurus-Episode-558/ Join us at www.patreon.com/iknowdino for dinosaur requests, bonus content, ad-free episodes, and more. Dinosaur of the day Segnosaurus, a therizinosaur with interesting teeth. Interview with David Spira, co-creator of RoomEscapeArtist.com, which publishes well-researched, rational, and reasonably humorous escape room reviews, design tips, player tips, and industry commentary In dinosaur news this week: The Science Museum of Minnesota closed for a day in response to the local ICE presence. If you want to support Minnesotans go to www.standwithminnesota.com/In Bolivia, there are almost 18,000 theropod dinosaur tracks that show evidence of running, sauntering, and swimmingAn earlier study of the Carreras Pampa site also found that the theropods feet sunk in the mudOne set of footprints shows the fastest running theropod trackway in the CretaceousScientists re-examined the longest known theropod trackway in ChinaDinosaur Ridge, Colorado, has the largest known dinosaur mating dance arenaTracks from 76 million years ago may show that ceratopsians and ankylosaurs hung out togetherPaleontologists found a set of sauropod tracks that show it made a loopScientists found multiple trackways in Oxfordshire, England, from mostly sauropods walking at a steady paceTheropod footprints were found in a crisscross pattern in Texas, U.S.Thousands of prosauropod footprints from the Triassic were found in a national park in Italy  This episode is brought to you by the Colorado Northwestern Community College. Join them for two weeks digging up dinosaur bones in the field, preparing fossils in their lab, or in their new field geology program. For details go to CNCC.edu/paleo26 And by Squarespace, go to https://www.squarespace.com/IKD to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code IKD See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.