The trailer for the new movie Jurassic World was released today. It looks fun! But some science-minded folks are already pouncing on the dino-filled movie for inaccuracies.
Brian Switek, author of the book My Beloved Brontosaurus, writes that the film’s fictional super-intelligent, genetically-modified dinosaur shouldn’t have thumbs.
https://twitter.com/embed/status/537373524004851712
Something about Brian’s tweet makes me think he doesn’t believe it’s actually a great idea.
Morgan Jackson, a blogger and insect nerd from Canada, is upset about the film showing a crane fly trapped in amber when it’s supposed to be a mosquito.
Dear #JurassicWorld,
Entomologists are real. We're actually quite nice. Please ask us why mosquitos /= crane flies pic.twitter.com/q3DoThVbu2
— Morgan Jackson, PhD (@BioInFocus) November 25, 2014
Jackson is absolutely right that scientists are more than happy to advise on movies (often without pay) to make sure they’re accurate. I suspect though that the producers of a movie about a dinosaur theme park with genetically modified monsters weren’t really concerned with scientific accuracy.
Darren Naish, a zoologist who specializes in dinosaurs in the UK, is most perturbed by the decision not to include feathered dinosaurs.
Basic message of #JurassicWorld is "Screw you, science, we don't need your stinking feathers!! This is alt-future-1993!!" #dinosaurs
— Darren Naish (@TetZoo) November 25, 2014
And Naish is also angry about… well I don’t know what exactly. I’m no dino-scientist. But he is! So I trust he’s angry for a good reason! Because platynotan hypothesis!
#JurassicWorld Mega-mosasaur has palatal teeth (well done) but no forked tongue-tip as per the platynotan hypothesis (boo). And.. frill? FFS
— Darren Naish (@TetZoo) November 25, 2014
FFS indeed. We feel your nerdly pain. Even if we have no idea what you’re talking about in this case.
Gif via the Jurassic World trailer by Andrew Liszewski
