We have loved Franco's art longer than we knew the term "paleoart". He joins to explain his process of illustrating for books–including ours. Plus a new sauropodomorph with a big head named Lishulong wangi.

For links to every news story, all of the details we shared about Chilantaisaurus, and our fun fact check out https://iknowdino.com/Chilantaisaurus-Episode-539/

Dinosaur of the day Chilantaisaurus, an very large theropod with impressive claws.

In dinosaur news this week:

• There’s a new sauropodomorph dinosaur, Lishulong wangi, and it had a large skull

Over two decades, Franco has illustrated more than 50 books on dinosaurs and prehistoric mammals for major publishers worldwide. His piece “T. rex couple vs. Dakotaraptor pack” won the 2016 John J. Lanzendorf-National Geographic PaleoArt Prize. He compares the scene to lions defending a kill from hyenas, highlighting the possible social dynamics between top predators and opportunistic rivals. Check out his illustrations and the text of the interview here: iknowdino.com/franco-tempesta-on-bringing-dinosaurs-to-life-through-art/

Our new book I Know Dino!: Amazing Breakthroughs, Mega Mistakes, and Unsolved Mysteries in Dinosaur Science is available now! Get the most up-to-date facts and paleoart of many of the most striking dinosaurs at bit.ly/iknowdinobook or sign up at the Tyrannosaurus level or above by May 31, 2025 at patreon.com/iknowdino to get an autographed copy from us!

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We bring back our fan-favorite segment: Dinosaurs on Trial! Patrons submitted dinosaur “crimes,” and we argue the cases like whether or not compsognathids are misidentified juvenile theropods. Plus a new ornithomimid from Uzbekistan named Dzharacursor.

For links to every news story, all of the details we shared about Nurosaurus, and our fun fact check out https://iknowdino.com/Nurosaurus-Episode-538/

Join us at www.patreon.com/iknowdino for dinosaur requests, bonus content, ad-free episodes, and more.

Dinosaur of the day Nurosaurus, an informally named sauropod with a stress fracture in its toe.

In dinosaur news this week:

• There’s a new ornithomimid dinosaur, Dzharacursor bissektensis, that may contain medullary bone

For our Dinosaurs on Trial segment, patrons submitted dinosaur “crimes,” and we argue the cases:

• Did Ankylosaurus cruelly attack a mother T. rex in Walking With Dinosaurs?
• Are compsognathids just mislabeled juvenile theropods?
• Did T. rex throw the fight against Spinosaurus in Jurassic Park 3?
• Did T. rex really hunt with F-14s?
• Was Oviraptor a misunderstood parent or an egg thief?

Vote on our Patreon to decide who’s guilty! patreon.com/iknowdino

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Interview with Tone Blakesley, who recently described 131 dinosaur footprints on the Isle of Skye, Scotland. The tracks include those made by Megalosaurus and Cetiosaurus (or close relatives) and Tone made an accompanying documentary for the paper.

For links to every news story, all of the details we shared about Ornithodesmus, links from Tone Blakesley, and our fun fact check out https://iknowdino.com/Ornithodesmus-Episode-537/

Join us at www.patreon.com/iknowdino for dinosaur requests, bonus content, ad-free episodes, and more.

Dinosaur of the day Ornithodesmus, a dinosaur that was first thought to be a bird based on its hip bones (sacrum) and later considered to be a pterosaur.

Interview with Tone Blakesley, a Master's graduate University of Edinburgh and lead author of a new paper about 131 dinosaur footprints on the Isle of Skye in Scotland

In dinosaur news this week:

• Tone Blakesley's new paper describing a Middle Jurassic lagoon preserved in modern day Scotland
• The documentary of the tracks that Tone made to accompany the paper

This episode is brought to you by the Colorado Northwestern Community College. Join them for two weeks digging up dinosaur bones from the Jurassic Period in Northwest Colorado this summer. For details go to CNCC.edu/dinodig

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.