In my last post I asked some incredibly pressing questions to Dr. Scott Sampson aka Scott the Paleontologist. Questions that any parent of a Dinosaur Train fan wants to know...
I got a reply and I have to say Dr. Scott is hilarious and pretty awesome... But I'm a fan of science humor...
So here are his responses in line with mine. They're in blue because that's the color of most of Shiny Pteranodon.
Dear Scott the Paleontologist,
My son Miloh and I are fans of Dinosaur Train and as an avid fan I have some questions regarding it that I hope you can answer:
The train is a steam engine. Does it run off coal? If it does use coal is there a possibility that greenhouse gases from that could have lead to the extinction of dinosaurs? How come this isn't a theory?
Very interesting question. Yes, to the best of my knowledge, the Dinosaur Train runs on fossil fuels, but we actually do have an episode upcoming where we investigate alternative fuel trains. Given that the latter occurred prior to the end of the Mesozoic Era, we can conclusively say that the Train did not lead to the dinosaur extinction.
If you want to explore that theory more let me know and we can co-author a paper.
Will we ever meet Shiny's real father? I mean c'mon she's blue. Mr. Pteranodon is not here dad... In fact, I have a hypothesis (an idea you can test). I think Mrs. Pteranodon kept Buddy's egg in the nest so any time Mr. brings up Shiny's real dad she can change the subject by saying something like "did we ever figure out how Buddy's egg got in the nest?"
Interesting hypothesis (you know, an idea you can test), but I think there are sufficient morphological features (long beak, crest, elongate leathery wings, etc.) to show that Shiny is in fact a Pteranodon. But hey, I could be wrong.
Is there any behind the scenes footage in which after meeting a dino Buddy pretends to forget something and goes back to the dino and eats it?
No.
That "point of fact" guy said dinosaurs didn't create art from gourds. Is that really a fact? I mean can he prove no deinonychus made gourd art?
Point taken. To the best of our knowledge . . . .
Is it appropriate for Tiny to be singing about her "tiny place"?
No comment.
I'm guessing diggers have found evidence of the train, as well as the documentary footage used in the show, but has anyone been able to figure out the technology of time travel that they used? Is that what's in Area 51? If you told me would you have to kill me? If the answer to the last question is yes I prefer not to know.
Given your last request, it's best I simply don't answer this one.
What was more upsetting to you? When you learned that dinosaurs and people didn't live at the same time ( like on the Flintstones)? Or when you found out Brontosauruses (Brontosaurii?) were fake? Either way it proves the Flintstones were a lie and it's sad either way.
For me it was the Brontosaurus thing...
I was inspired to learn that dinosaurs and people didn't live at the same time (makes them all the more mysterious; Flintstones be damned). But yes, as with you, the loss of Brontosaurus was blow.
I think that's it... I really do love the show. My son does too... If you discover a new dinosaur feel free to name it after him. Milohsaurus would be ok but we'd prefer MFosaurus or Emeffosaurus.
Thanks... Kenny
So we've learned that Dr. Scott is pretty funny and a good guy. We also learned that there's some really interesting things going on in connection to Area 51 and the dinosaur train.
He ended the response by telling Miloh that he sends a GIANT hello... I did this and then took it further... Now any time we need him to do something, like neb, we tell him Dr. Scott does it. For instance Dr. Scott got so tall because he nebbed (no idea if he did).
Or don't cry if you're train breaks you can put it together like Dr. Scott puts together dinosaurs...
Or did you know Dr. Scott doesn't take his dog for a walk when it snows? Why don't you just watch me while I go out.
That could be breaking doctor/patient privilege but I guess that's ok since he's not that kind of doctor and I'm not his patient.
I got a reply and I have to say Dr. Scott is hilarious and pretty awesome... But I'm a fan of science humor...
So here are his responses in line with mine. They're in blue because that's the color of most of Shiny Pteranodon.
Dear Scott the Paleontologist,
My son Miloh and I are fans of Dinosaur Train and as an avid fan I have some questions regarding it that I hope you can answer:
The train is a steam engine. Does it run off coal? If it does use coal is there a possibility that greenhouse gases from that could have lead to the extinction of dinosaurs? How come this isn't a theory?
Very interesting question. Yes, to the best of my knowledge, the Dinosaur Train runs on fossil fuels, but we actually do have an episode upcoming where we investigate alternative fuel trains. Given that the latter occurred prior to the end of the Mesozoic Era, we can conclusively say that the Train did not lead to the dinosaur extinction.
If you want to explore that theory more let me know and we can co-author a paper.
Will we ever meet Shiny's real father? I mean c'mon she's blue. Mr. Pteranodon is not here dad... In fact, I have a hypothesis (an idea you can test). I think Mrs. Pteranodon kept Buddy's egg in the nest so any time Mr. brings up Shiny's real dad she can change the subject by saying something like "did we ever figure out how Buddy's egg got in the nest?"
Interesting hypothesis (you know, an idea you can test), but I think there are sufficient morphological features (long beak, crest, elongate leathery wings, etc.) to show that Shiny is in fact a Pteranodon. But hey, I could be wrong.
Is there any behind the scenes footage in which after meeting a dino Buddy pretends to forget something and goes back to the dino and eats it?
No.
That "point of fact" guy said dinosaurs didn't create art from gourds. Is that really a fact? I mean can he prove no deinonychus made gourd art?
Point taken. To the best of our knowledge . . . .
Is it appropriate for Tiny to be singing about her "tiny place"?
No comment.
I'm guessing diggers have found evidence of the train, as well as the documentary footage used in the show, but has anyone been able to figure out the technology of time travel that they used? Is that what's in Area 51? If you told me would you have to kill me? If the answer to the last question is yes I prefer not to know.
Given your last request, it's best I simply don't answer this one.
What was more upsetting to you? When you learned that dinosaurs and people didn't live at the same time ( like on the Flintstones)? Or when you found out Brontosauruses (Brontosaurii?) were fake? Either way it proves the Flintstones were a lie and it's sad either way.
For me it was the Brontosaurus thing...
I was inspired to learn that dinosaurs and people didn't live at the same time (makes them all the more mysterious; Flintstones be damned). But yes, as with you, the loss of Brontosaurus was blow.
I think that's it... I really do love the show. My son does too... If you discover a new dinosaur feel free to name it after him. Milohsaurus would be ok but we'd prefer MFosaurus or Emeffosaurus.
Thanks... Kenny
So we've learned that Dr. Scott is pretty funny and a good guy. We also learned that there's some really interesting things going on in connection to Area 51 and the dinosaur train.
He ended the response by telling Miloh that he sends a GIANT hello... I did this and then took it further... Now any time we need him to do something, like neb, we tell him Dr. Scott does it. For instance Dr. Scott got so tall because he nebbed (no idea if he did).
Or don't cry if you're train breaks you can put it together like Dr. Scott puts together dinosaurs...
Or did you know Dr. Scott doesn't take his dog for a walk when it snows? Why don't you just watch me while I go out.
That could be breaking doctor/patient privilege but I guess that's ok since he's not that kind of doctor and I'm not his patient.
EPIC. You rock, Dr. Scott.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to start watching Dinosaur Train. I'm thoroughly intrigued.
ReplyDeleteI feel so late to the party! I found you on a link through Pinterest (for the Halloween sign). I hope you post again, I didn't see a "goodbye post"
ReplyDeleteThanks. I did have a goodbye post but then posted a few times since. I will probably still post but I'm guessing at a rate of a few times a year at best...
DeleteJust don't have the time.
Understandable, just too bad. Well, I'll keep an eye out for them!
Delete