Who could forget the terrifying, eardrum-bursting roar of the T.rex in "Jurassic Park"? Though memorable, this movie representation is far from accurate. Scientists believe that dinosaurs probably did not roar, and may have not been able to make any noise at all. The noise may have been closer to the croaking of a crocodile, not a loud, booming roar. The voice boxes of birds and crocodiles, who share dinosaur ancestors, may have evolved independently. This would mean that the last common ancestor of birds and crocodilians might not have been able to vocalize in any way, meaning too that dinosaurs had no way of vocalizing.
Key Facts In This Video
"Jurassic Park" creators combined the sounds of a baby elephant, alligator, and tiger for the dinosaurs' roars. 00:00
Birds use an organ called the syrinx to make vocalizations. 01:36
Some dinosaurs had massive, resonating crests on top of their heads connected to their breathing tracts which amplified sounds. 02:31
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