Did the Brontosaurus really exist? | Brains On! Science Podcast For Kids

Episode Overview

• The episode begins with a humorous sketch featuring Mr. Bojangles, a singing skeleton who is organizing his vast bone collection using the "Marie Kon-bone" method to determine which bones "spark joy."
• Co-host Sidarth shares his passion for dinosaurs, explaining how he became interested in them and naming his favorite dinosaur, the Struthiomimus, which connects to his interest in birds.
• The main topic is introduced through a listener question: Did the Brontosaurus actually exist? This leads to an exploration of scientific naming, taxonomy, and the history of dinosaur discovery.
• The ghost of Carl Linnaeus appears to explain his system of taxonomy, using a song and analogies to break down the seven major categories: Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species.
• The episode delves into the "Bone Wars" of the late 1800s, explaining the rivalry between paleontologists Marsh and Cope, which led to the confusion between the Apatosaurus and Brontosaurus, and how recent scientific research has brought the name Brontosaurus back into consideration.

Key Concepts

The episode discusses the history and science behind the naming of dinosaurs, focusing on the Brontosaurus. It explains the system of taxonomy, created by Carl Linnaeus, which classifies all living things into hierarchical categories (Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species). The narrative explores the "Bone Wars," a period of intense fossil-hunting rivalry in the late 19th century, which led to the initial naming of both Apatosaurus and Brontosaurus. For decades, the scientific community considered Brontosaurus an invalid name, classifying it under Apatosaurus. However, the episode highlights that science is an ever-evolving process, as a 2015 study re-examined the fossils and concluded that Brontosaurus is distinct enough to be its own genus, bringing the famous name back into scientific use.

Quotes

• At 00:28 - "You bet your bone marrow, the pleasure is all yours. The name's Jangles, Mr. Bojangles to you." - The singing skeleton, Mr. Bojangles, introduces himself with a pun.
• At 01:15 - "You see, I have such a vast collection of bones, but I have to figure out which sparks joy." - Mr. Bojangles explains he's using a method inspired by Marie Kondo (Marie "Kon-bone") to organize his bone collection.
• At 02:20 - "I have a favorite dinosaur called Struthiomimus. It is like... six-foot tall, ostrich-like dinosaur." - Co-host Sidarth shares his favorite dinosaur, linking it to his interest in birds as Struthiomimus means "ostrich mimic."
• At 04:10 - "Is it true that the Brontosaurus never existed? And if so, how did the theory that they existed come about?" - A listener's question that serves as the central theme for the episode's investigation.
• At 08:55 - "Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species." - A song sung by the hosts and the ghost of Carl Linnaeus to help remember the levels of biological classification.

Takeaways

• Taxonomy is the scientific system used to name, define, and classify all living organisms into groups based on shared characteristics.
• The Brontosaurus was considered an invalid name for over a century, with its fossils being reclassified as Apatosaurus, but a 2015 study provided evidence to re-establish it as a distinct genus.
• Science is a dynamic process where conclusions can change as new evidence is discovered and old findings are re-examined with new technology and methods.
• Common names (like "dog") often differ from scientific names (like Canis lupus familiaris), but for dinosaurs, their scientific names have become their common names.