Dinosaurs ruled the Earth for an extraordinary span of time, leaving behind fossils that continue to reshape our understanding of evolution, extinction, and the planet's deep history. From the towering sauropods to the clever raptors, these creatures display a remarkable diversity of size, behavior, and adaptation. Whether you're drawn to the famous giants or the lesser-known species, testing your knowledge of these ancient reptiles is a rewarding way to explore the science behind them.
▶ Play today's quizIn which famous film franchise do cloned dinosaurs run a theme park?
Source: Jurassic Park's 1993 dinosaurs were largely animatronic, with CGI used for only a few seconds of footage.
Which dinosaur is famous for the three horns on its head?
Source: Triceratops means 'three-horned face,' and its huge bony frill could be over a metre wide.
What did long-necked giants like Brachiosaurus mainly eat?
Source: The biggest dinosaurs were plant-eaters, using long necks to strip whole forests of leaves.
Roughly how long ago did the asteroid wipe out non-bird dinosaurs?
Source: The Chicxulub impact off Mexico ended the dinosaurs' reign 66 million years ago, closing the Cretaceous.
Which group of living animals are direct descendants of dinosaurs?
Source: Birds are living theropod dinosaurs, so a sparrow is closer to a T. rex than a crocodile is.
What were the bony plates running along Stegosaurus's back probably used for?
Source: Stegosaurus's plates were likely radiators for heat and display, not armour, despite their fierce look.
What does the word 'dinosaur' actually mean?
Source: Richard Owen coined 'dinosaur' in 1842 from Greek for 'terrible lizard,' though they aren't true lizards.
What were the deadliest weapons on Velociraptor's feet?
Source: Velociraptor had one big curved sickle claw per foot and was actually turkey-sized, not human-height.
What is the modern scientific term for fossilised dinosaur dung?
Source: Coprolites are fossil poop, and studying them reveals exactly what dinosaurs ate millions of years ago.
Which of these prehistoric creatures was NOT a true dinosaur?
Source: Pterosaurs like Pterodactylus soared on skin wings; they're cousins of dinosaurs, not dinosaurs themselves.
On which present-day continent have the most Tyrannosaurus rex fossils been found?
Source: T. rex roamed western North America, with prime fossil beds in Montana and the Dakotas.
Many small meat-eating dinosaurs are now known to have had what on their bodies?
Source: Fossils from China proved many theropods sported feathers long before birds ever took flight.
Which armoured dinosaur could swing a heavy bony club at the end of its tail?
Source: Ankylosaurus was a living tank whose tail club could shatter the leg bones of an attacking predator.
During which geological period did Tyrannosaurus rex actually live?
Source: Despite the 'Jurassic' branding, T. rex lived in the late Cretaceous, closer to us than to Stegosaurus.
Which long-necked dinosaur's name means 'arm lizard' for its tall front legs?
Source: Brachiosaurus had longer front than back legs, giving it a giraffe-like, uphill-sloping posture.
What is the main reason we know so little about how dinosaurs sounded?
Source: Vocal organs are soft tissue that almost never fossilises, so movie roars are pure educated guesswork.
The 'Bone Wars' were a fierce 19th-century rivalry between two American what?
Source: Cope and Marsh's bitter feud named over 130 dinosaur species but ruined both men financially.
Which dinosaur did scientists conclude likely hunted partly in water for fish?
Source: Spinosaurus had a paddle-like tail and crocodile snout, making it the first known swimming dinosaur.
Stones found in some dinosaur stomachs helped them do what?
Source: Gastroliths were swallowed stones that mashed tough plants in the gut, much like a modern bird's gizzard.
Which country has yielded the richest haul of feathered dinosaur fossils?
Source: China's Liaoning beds preserved feathers in such detail they revealed some dinosaurs' actual colours.