"...a single, readily accessible source of comprehensive information about the many different dinosaur species...with more than enough information to keep you satisfied."
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Runs on Windows 98 / Me / NT3 / NT4 / 2000 / XP / Server 2003 / Vista / Windows 7 and Mac OS X under Windows emulation
Updated: June 30, 2010 Additions/Comments: |
General and cross-media |
| This book surveys the dinosaurs from the earliest discoveries through contemporary controversies over their extinction. Of relevance here is the section "Dinosaurs and the Media" by Don Glut and M. K. Brett-Surman. Preview this section in Google Books. |
| Dinosaur:
Cultural depictions A short article at The Art and Popular Culture Wiki. |
| Since the earliest fossil discoveries, the public has been thrilled by the thought of dinosaurs, excited to think that such huge and sometimes ferocious creatures once walked the earth. A short article that mainly focuses on dinosaur film and particularly The Lost World. |
A comprehensive tracing of this history by Keith Thomson in American Scientist. |
| A book by Allen Debus which considers the science and art of dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals in a personalized, whimsical, pop-cultural vein. Preview in Google Books. |
| The role the popular media does and does not play in society's perception of dinosaurs. |
Dinosaur
Tracking: Where paleontology meets pop culture Smithsonian magazine staff members and Rutgers University ecology and evolution student Brian Switek delve into all things Dinosauria. |
| This book by critically examines the standing of science in our culture in the light of some major debates about dinosaurs. Of particular interest is the chapter titled ""Le Dinosaure Postmoderne". Preview this section in Google Books. |
Fictional
dinosaurs An index of articles at Wikipedia about fictional dinosaurs across a range of media. |
| An introduction by Anthony J. Martin designed to teach students about scientific research and principles as they learn about dinosaurs. Includes a chapter titled "Popular Culture and Science". |
| A collection of articles by Don Glut. Of particular interest here is the section containing media-related topics, "Mesozoic Musings". Preview this section in Google Books. |
| A web feature for The Last Dinosaur Book by W.J.T. Mitchell including an excerpt from the book and links to additional site features and offsite resources. Preview in Google Books. |
List
of fictional dinosaurs A second list of Wikipedia articles, this one in genres, of fictional dinosaurs. |
Loving
The Saurian An essay by Steven Utley at the Internet Review of Science Fiction. |
| A collection of articles by leading dinosaurabilia collector Dean Hannotte on dinosaurs in art and literature. |
Prehistoric
life in popular culture An index of articles and subcategories at Wikipedia. |
| A book by Allen A. Debus. Over centuries, discoveries of fossil bones spawned legends of monsters such as giants and dragons. As the field of earth sciences matured during the 19th century, early fossilists gained understanding of prehistoric creatures such as Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops and Stegosaurus. This historical study examines how these genuine beasts morphed in the public imagination into mythical, powerful engines of destruction and harbingers of cataclysm, taking their place in popular culture, film, and literature as symbols of "lost worlds" where time stands still. |
| A full color, 50+ page magazine for dinosaur enthusiasts and collectors of related merchandise. Includes reviews of the latest prehistoric animal model kits, toy figures, books and more, plus interviews with artists and scientists, artwork from the finest paleoartists in the world and the latest scientific discoveries in paleontology. Also news and information about prehistoric life. |
Pterosaurs
in Popular Culture Chronicles the appearances of pterosaurs in popular fiction in all kinds of different media. |
| A website devoted to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's grand adventure novel The Lost World in all its forms. |
| An book by José Luis Sanz that analyzes the historical origins of the dinosaur myth in modern society and the manner in which information drawn from scientific study enters popular consciousness. Preview this book in Google Books. |
| A collection of essays about media depictions of dinosaurs. Detailed, wide-ranging and fun. |
Tyrannosaurus
in popular culture A Wikipedia article that documents what is inarguably the most prevalent dinosaur to appear in popular culture. |
When
Dinosaurs Ruled The Screen A guide by Marc Shapiro to the dinosaur on film and television. |
Visual arts |
| A roadside attraction telling the tale of a group of Union soldiers who discover a lost valley of dinosaurs in Virginia and plot to use them as weapons against the South. |
| An essay by Allen A. Debus on how artists have depicted mass extinction. |
| A discussion on how dinosaurs and their worlds are recreated for television documentaries like Walking with Dinosaurs and Dinosaur Planet. |
| From a website dedicated to the fantastic and awe inspiring monuments built by communities to draw tourist dollars into their community. |
| A reflection and brief history on restoring the life appearance of dinosaurs by paleontologist and artist Greg Paul. |
Lanzendorf
PaleoArt Prize Recipients The John J. Lanzendorf PaleoArt Prize was created in October 1999 to recognize outstanding achievement in paleontological scientific illustration and naturalistic art. |
| Coverage of "William Stout's murals for the San Diego Natural History Museum" as well as extensive profiles of other leading artists: Robert F. Walters, James Gurney, Dan McCarthy, David Krentz, Greg Broadmore, John Gurche and Charles R. Knight. |
| Michael Skrepnick, William Stout, Carl Buell, Doug Henderson, Mark Hallett, John Sibbick and James Gurney. |
| Paleontological art has been used to help disseminate Smithsonian paleontological research findings since the Institution was founded in 1846 and continues today. This website highlights some of the Smithsonian Institution's most interesting historical paleo art, provides information about taking proper care of illustrations, and discusses techniques for creating paleontological and other scientific illustrations. |
Science,
Art, and Dinosaurs An article by Lawrence M. Witmer on the major role that works of dinosaur art can play in shaping scientific discourse. |
| A chapter "A Quick History of Dinosaur Art" by Gregory S. Paul is relevance here. A limited preview of this chapter is available via Google Books. |
| Thomas Holtz, a paleontologist for the University of Maryland, reflects upon what has changed, and stayed the same, since our 20th-century dinosaur coverage. |
| From Brian Switek's Laelaps blog site this is a discussion on paleontological reconstructions with particular emphasis on earlier works. |
Literature |
| Author Allen A. Debus Allen A. Debus traces the public fascination with dinosaur fiction since they were first identified in the nineteenth century. Preview this book in Google Books. |
| This book by the venerable Don Glut explores dinosaurs from a media perspective, drawing on rare and unusual photographs, illustrations, and drawings from movies, museums, and magazines, and covering such unique aspects as "dinosaur parks" and comic books. |
| Dinosaurs
in Science Fiction John Joseph Adams at the Internet Review of Science Fiction examines the themes in science fiction literature in which dinosaurs figure. Also includes an excellent list of recommended reading. |
Dinosaurs
in Science Fiction Literature A guide to stories, novels, anthologies and pulps compiled by paleontologist M.K. Brett-Surman. |
| A list at Asimov Online. |
| A brief introduction to works on fossils published for American children in books and magazines from 1832 to 1853. Some are illustrated; many aren't. Many of the illustrations, as with much of the text, are redrawn from earlier works. |
| A very well maintained and comprehensive site focusing on fiction set in prehistoric times, or in which the principal characters are members of a prehistoric society. |
| A potpourri of material regarding The Quintaglio Ascension Trilogy at the author's website. |
| Sauria Monstra collects 14 classic short stories featuring dinosaurs and other reptiles from the past, along with Arthur Conan Doyle's classic novel, The Lost World. |
Sdifan
- Themes: Dinosaur books Publication dates, some plot summaries and buying options. |
Comics etc. |
| Heavily illustrated guide to the 1988 collector card series from Topps containing 55 cards and 11 Stickers. |
| Articles at The Jack Kirby Comics Weblog. |
| A brief glimpse at the ultra-violence and cruelty that Topps peddled to children back in 1988. |
| A series of articles at Michael Ryan's Palaeoblog. |
Film |
All
Movies: Dinosaurs An extensive list of dinosaur movies with ratings, plot summaries and production details. |
Are
Movies Science?: Dinosaurs, Movies and Reality An article at the University of California Museum of Paleontology that tests the ideas used in the movies and literature (mostly Jurassic Park), to determine what is science and what is fiction. |
Cinefantastique Online: Sense
of Wonder: Cinema’s Greatest Dinosaurs by Steve
Biodrowski |
| A definitive guide to dinosaur film, arranged alphabetically by title, contains entries that include basic facts (year of release, country of origin, studio, and running time) followed by a plot summary, commentary (the author’s review of the film), a section on people and production, and information on the special effects. |
Dinosaur
Movies A site that focuses on reviews and sources of dinosaur films. |
View online this documentary about dinosaur movies hosted by Donald F. Glut and Bob Burns and filled with rare movie clips, behind-the-scenes footage, original props and insightful interviews with stop-motion experts Ray Harryhausen and Jim Danforth, Forrest J Ackerman, and author George E. Turner. |
| See how the portrayal of dinosaurs has evolved and changed over the years through artistic portrayal and advances in scientific information and technology. Dinosaurs: Reel & Robotic highlights classic films, Hollywood memorabilia, and life-like, robotic dinosaurs. A website created for an exhibition at the San Diego Natural History Museum. |
An overview of 50s dinosaur movies. |
| There is a lot here but most notable for its extensive Dino-Filmography, an achronological list of dinosaur films, with summaries (some extensive) and other notes. A resource by Dr. Michael Delahoyde of the Washington State University. |
| A retrospective that charts Hollywood's long fascination for portraying primitive life as it might have been lived before the invention of modern technology. |
Film:
When Making Dinosaurs Scary, Less Becomes More An article by Walter Kendrick of The New York Times on why it benefits filmmakers that dinosaurs are now more avian. |
| A chronological list at the Dinosaur Interplanetary Gazette of every dramatic dinosaur movie (to 2002) made. |
Hot
Blooded Dinosaur Movies by James van Hise Another chronicle of the history of dinosaur film. |
Jurassic
Park, or Sympathy for the Dinosaur What dinosaurs seem to represent to us is a whole alternate model, an elaborate projection, of a racially-varied 'society' not unlike our own. |
| Website of Peter Jackson's 2005 version. A generous site with plenty of "backstory" information. |
T.
rex on the Silver Screen A short history of dinosaur movies at Fact Monster. |





