Dinosaurs probably didn't roar. it’s true that the idea of dinosaurs roaring like movie monsters is more myth than science. Here’s a breakdown of that myth and what scientists actually believe:
🦖 The Myth:
Dinosaurs, especially predators like Tyrannosaurus rex, are often imagined roaring thunderously — a deep, earth-shaking sound that could be heard for kilometres, popularized by films like Jurassic Park. This image is so ingrained in pop culture that it’s almost impossible to picture a dinosaur without hearing a roar in your head.
🔬 The Science:
In reality, there’s no evidence that dinosaurs roared the way mammals (like lions or tigers) do. Sound doesn’t fossilize, so scientists rely on comparisons with living relatives — birds and reptiles — to make educated guesses about how dinosaurs might have vocalized.
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Bird connection: Birds are the closest living relatives of dinosaurs. Most birds don’t roar; they use syrinxes (special voice boxes) to create whistles, coos, or low booming sounds.
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Reptile connection: Crocodilians, another close group, produce deep rumbles and hisses, often generated internally through closed-mouth vocalizations.
Putting this together, palaeontologists believe many dinosaurs may have communicated through low-frequency rumbles, hisses, bellows, or coos rather than open-mouthed roars.
🧠What They Might Have Sounded Like:
Imagine a closed-mouth vibration — like an alligator’s low rumble or a pigeon’s coo — resonating through the body and chest cavity. These sounds could have been powerful but not necessarily loud in the roaring sense. Some large herbivores might have even produced infrasound (below human hearing range), much like modern elephants.
🎬 Why the Myth Stuck:
The “roaring dinosaur” myth persists mainly because of Hollywood. When Jurassic Park’s sound designers created the T. rex’s roar, they famously mixed sounds from elephants, tigers, and alligators. It was dramatic — and unforgettable — but not scientifically accurate.
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