"Why were dinosaurs scary?"

**Helm** · July 03, 2009, 05:13 AM

A title of a childrens book I saw in a book store the other day. I suppose they actually were a bit but the questions stumped me.

**Selifator** · July 03, 2009, 06:10 AM

Because they were really big, had big teeth and claws and the carnivores would have eaten us if we'd lived in that time. Other than that, fancy title to attract kids.

**Dr. Croccer** · July 03, 2009, 06:41 AM

So they could rip out your spine with a glance and not go through all the trouble of chasing and killing you.

Duh.

**Helm** · July 03, 2009, 06:45 AM

It just said dinosaurs rather than "large predators that can eat a human" though.

A herbivore but still a bit scary looking.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Not scary looking at all, a bull would be perhaps just a little.

That's pretty scary.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

That's really

ing scary.

So it seems that dinosaurs have a certain level of natural scariness.

**Bernem** · July 03, 2009, 09:01 AM

dinosaur means terrifying lizzard, because the first discovered fossils were that of an Iguanodon. The Iguanodon has a very big claw (10cm at least)on his thumb, but at the time of its discovery people thought it's a tooth. And because it's big and sharp, the ones who made that discovery meant that a lizzard, which is of that size (approx. elephant) and has such teeth must be terrifying...

Ironically Iguanodons were harmless herbivors. But their carnivore counterparts were even more terrifying as was seen soon after.

**gambit** · July 03, 2009, 10:19 AM

You did read the part about it being a childrens book right?

**Bernem** · July 03, 2009, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by Gambit

You did read the part about it being a childrens book right?

So what?

**Helm** · July 03, 2009, 10:45 AM

Well it seems someone else agrees.

http://www.explodingdog.com/title/di...sarescary.html

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

I guess certain things just end up looking scary to humans for no real reason other than just do.

**Douchebag** · July 05, 2009, 07:01 PM

Originally Posted by Helm

Well it seems someone else agrees.

http://www.explodingdog.com/title/di...sarescary.html

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

I guess certain things just end up looking scary to humans for no real reason other than just do.

BURN IT WITH FIRE

**Copperknickers II** · July 05, 2009, 07:42 PM

Why? I find it quite cute. What we fear is purely a matter of taste.

**shadyrome** · July 05, 2009, 07:58 PM

Originally Posted by Copperknickers

Why? I find it quite cute. What we fear is purely a matter of taste.

Just make sure you don't sell it to the french

**gambit** · July 03, 2009, 12:54 PM

Questioning the logic of something thats clearly pointed at four year olds is stupid.

**Bernem** · July 04, 2009, 10:28 AM

Originally Posted by Gambit

Questioning the logic of something thats clearly pointed at four year olds is stupid.

But these were exactly the facts, that I have been taught by my first dinosaur book...

**DAVIDE** · July 04, 2009, 11:25 AM

all the animals able to kill a human being, are considered "scary"

This is the most deadly animal on earth: The Phyllobates Terriblis

**Helm** · July 03, 2009, 12:56 PM

It's the kind of question a child would ask. They can sometimes ask interesting questions like "What is the universe expanding into?" or "How did the sea get there?"

**gambit** · July 03, 2009, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by Helm

It's the kind of question a child would ask. They can sometimes ask interesting questions like "What is the universe expanding into?" or "How did the sea get there?"

and sometimes they ask "Why do we poop out of our butts instead of our mouths?" or "Why arent girls green cause they're icky?"

The fact that they see humongous reptiles with claws and fangs as scary isnt a very big conundrum.

**Phalanx300** · July 03, 2009, 01:58 PM

Originally Posted by Helm

It's the kind of question a child would ask. They can sometimes ask interesting questions like "What is the universe expanding into?" or "How did the sea get there?"

I'd like to see those kids.

**Playfishpaste** · July 03, 2009, 03:41 PM

Cause god doesn't want us to bring them back.

In actuality though, most dinosaurs aren't scary looking to me, insects have a much more frequently scary roster. Apatosaurus and most Sauropods look rather docile, as do a lot of the flying ones.

**LSJ** · July 03, 2009, 04:01 PM

They are scary for the same reason that bears, alligators, and lions are scary.

They can kill us! That, and their great size, with some carnivores being even bigger than a giraffe. Some herbivores were so massive they could step on us, or break our bones with a sweep of the tail. We can hide from an angry cow - a towering lizard is different.

They are also unknown - we have no idea how they would act; if they would eat us or kill us as a perceived threat. And the unknown is always scary, especially when it has a possibility of being lethal.

**Hobbes** · July 03, 2009, 12:59 PM

Because of our culture and they were bigger. Ever heard of dragons? Big reptiles with big fangs, scary right? Try comparing them with a carnivore dinosaur. Not many differences. We have learned to be scared of big reptiles. Now as for the herbivores, imagine a cow as big as a Apatosaurus. That's a big cow. And you afraid of it. Not to mention that many herbivore dinosaurs were actually dangerous. Many had claws, horns etc. The spider is scary because it's weird. Yes it's true. You also know that it might be poisonous.