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Jurassic Park, T. rex, and What We’ve Learned Since

Season 1 Episode 10 · Whimsical Wavelengths

Episode overview

What did Jurassic Park get right—and wrong—about dinosaurs? In Season 1, Episode 10 of Whimsical Wavelengths, geophysicist Jeffrey Zurek steps back to 1993 and uses the cultural impact of Jurassic Park as a lens to explore how dinosaur science has evolved over the past three decades.

This episode blends pop culture, paleontology, and real science, beginning with the famous lines and scenes that shaped how the public imagines dinosaurs. From warm-blooded velociraptors fogging up kitchen windows to a Tyrannosaurus rex chasing a Jeep at impossible speeds, the episode unpacks what filmmakers understood correctly at the time—and where Hollywood imagination overtook biology.

To ground the discussion in modern research, Jeffrey is joined by Dr. François Therrien, Curator of Dinosaur Paleoecology at the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller, Alberta. Together, they explore tyrannosaur evolution, anatomy, behavior, classification, and why Alberta has one of the richest dinosaur fossil records on Earth. This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation, setting up a deeper dive into current research in the next episode.

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What this episode covers

  • Why Jurassic Park was scientifically influential despite its flaws

  • How dinosaur science changed between the 1960s and the 1990s

  • Warm-blooded vs. cold-blooded dinosaurs and why that mattered

  • What the film got wrong about Tyrannosaurus rex vision and speed

  • Why a T. rex could not physically run like it does in the movies

  • How scientists estimate dinosaur walking and running speeds

  • What stereoscopic vision reveals about predator behavior

  • The difference between Tyrannosaurus rex and its close relatives

  • Tyrannosaurids, tyrannosaurs, and what those terms actually mean

  • How clades differ from traditional Linnaean classification

  • Why Alberta is one of the best places in the world to find dinosaurs

  • How Dinosaur Provincial Park shaped our understanding of theropods

  • Why this episode became a two-part interview

Why this episode matters

Popular science fiction often becomes the public’s first exposure to real science. Jurassic Park didn’t just entertain—it reshaped how dinosaurs were imagined by an entire generation. This episode explores how accurate science can coexist with speculation, and how scientific understanding continues to change as new evidence emerges.

By revisiting what scientists knew in 1993 and comparing it to what we know now, the episode highlights how science is not static. Ideas evolve, data accumulates, and even iconic depictions must eventually be revised. Understanding that process is essential—not just for paleontology, but for science literacy as a whole.

The scientific setting: Tyrannosaurs and their world

Tyrannosaurus rex is only one member of a much larger evolutionary story. Long before the “king” appeared, smaller, feathered tyrannosaurs with long arms and slender bodies occupied ecological niches across the Cretaceous landscape. Over time, these animals evolved into the massive, bone-crushing predators we recognize today.

Alberta plays a central role in this story. River and floodplain deposits from the Late Cretaceous preserved thousands of fossils, including some of the most complete tyrannosaur specimens ever found. Sites like Dinosaur Provincial Park provide a rare snapshot of ancient ecosystems, allowing scientists to study growth stages, behavior, and ecology across an entire lineage.

Key concepts explained

Warm-blooded dinosaurs
One of Jurassic Park’s most important scientific contributions was portraying dinosaurs as active, warm-blooded animals. This idea, first proposed decades earlier, had not yet reached the public consciousness. Subtle cues—like fogging glass from breath—helped change how dinosaurs were perceived worldwide.

T. rex vision and behavior
The famous line “T. rex can’t see you if you don’t move” is one of the most persistent myths in dinosaur pop culture. In reality, Tyrannosaurus rex had forward-facing eyes, excellent depth perception, and strong sensory abilities. Standing still would not have saved anyone.

Speed, mass, and biomechanics
While terrifying on screen, a sprinting T. rex is biomechanically impossible. Its massive size placed strict limits on muscle mass and acceleration. Modern studies suggest T. rex walked quickly but could not truly run, with top speeds far below those shown in films.

Clades vs. classification
Traditional taxonomy divides life into ranks like family and genus, but evolutionary relationships are more complex. Clades allow scientists to group organisms by shared ancestry without forcing them into rigid categories—an essential tool for understanding dinosaur evolution.

The research perspective

Dr. François Therrien brings firsthand experience studying tyrannosaurs from Alberta and beyond. His work focuses on dinosaur paleoecology—how these animals lived, fed, and interacted with their environments. By comparing closely related species such as Albertosaurus and Gorgosaurus, scientists can infer differences in behavior, hunting strategies, and ecosystem roles.

This episode also explores how fossil abundance shapes scientific knowledge. Species preserved in large numbers allow researchers to study growth, variation, and population dynamics—insights that are impossible with fragmentary remains.

Key questions explored

  • How accurate was Jurassic Park based on 1990s science?

  • What limits dinosaur speed and movement?

  • Why do some dinosaurs dominate the fossil record?

  • How do scientists reconstruct behavior from bones alone?

  • What separates cinematic dinosaurs from real ones?

  • How does evolutionary classification actually work?

Episode context

This episode continues Whimsical Wavelengths’ broader theme of examining how science works in practice—through incomplete data, evolving ideas, and the intersection between public perception and research. It also reconnects with Jeffrey’s own first scientific fascination: dinosaurs, and how early interests can shape lifelong curiosity.

As Part 1 of a two-part conversation, the episode sets the foundation for a deeper exploration of tyrannosaur research, discoveries, and unanswered questions in the following installment.

Frequently asked questions

Was Jurassic Park scientifically accurate?
Parts of it were remarkably accurate for the time, especially regarding dinosaur posture and metabolism. Other aspects—like behavior and speed—were exaggerated for dramatic effect.

Could T. rex really run?
No. Based on biomechanics and muscle constraints, T. rex could walk quickly but not run at high speeds.

Why are so many dinosaur fossils found in Alberta?
The region has ideal sedimentary rocks from the Late Cretaceous and has been extensively explored for over a century.

What is a clade?
A clade is a group of organisms that includes a common ancestor and all its descendants, regardless of traditional taxonomic rank.

Episode details

Podcast: Whimsical Wavelengths
Season: 1
Episode: 10
Format: Interview (Part 1 of 2)
Category: Paleontology · Evolution · Earth Science · Science Communication

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