Meet Some Deadly Dinos!
Ready for a roar-some prehistoric adventure? Then join NG Kids as we meet seven of our favourite dinosaurs!
Name: Tyrannosaurus rex
Lived: 65 million years ago
Size: Up to 12m long
Discovered: USA and Canada
Say it: Tye-ran-oh-sore-us rex
The most famous dino of them all, the T-rex was armed with jaws which remain the most powerful weapon nature has ever created. Its thick, sharp teeth could rip almost 100kg of flesh off its victims in a single bone-crunching chomp!
It was also one of the smartest of the meat-eating dinosaurs with a brain twice as big as those of other giant carnivores. More than 20 almost-complete skeletons have been found, and the most perfect, nicknamed Sue, was unearthed in South Dakota, USA, 20 years ago. Experts together spent more than 25,000 hours restoring Sue’s bones for exhibition. Awesome!
Name: Velociraptor
Lived: 80 million years ago
Size: Up to 2m long
Discovered: Mongolia
Say it: Veh-loss-ih-rap-tore
In 1924, the first velociraptor remains were discovered in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert by the American Roy Chapman Andrews – the man believed to be the inspiration for the Indiana Jones character!
Although small, velociraptors were quite clever and could move very fast (the name means ‘speed thief’), using their long tails for balance as they ran after their tasty prey. These carnivorous creatures hunted in packs, and probably ate mostly small lizards and mammals. They may have even eaten other velociraptors’ babies. Yikes!
Name: Dracorex
Lived: 70-65 million years ago
Size: Up to 3m long
Discovered: South Dakota, USA
Say it: Dray-co-rex
With its long, thick skull, crowned with bony spikes and horns, this plant-eater has caused debate among experts. Some think the fossils found are from a previously unknown animal. Others believe that it died young, and that if it had lived longer, its sharp horns would have grown into deer-like antlers until it became a stygimoloch, an already-known dinosaur. It’s full name is actually dracorex hogwartsia, so it’s the only dino to be named after Harry Potter’s school!
Name: Argentinosaurus
Lived: 1,000 million years ago
Size: Up to 42m long
Discovered: Argentina
Say it: Ahr-gen-teen-oh-sore-us
Some dinosaurs were taller. Some were just as long. But overall, the argentinosaurus was the biggest, and by far the heaviest, weighing up to 100 tonnes – that’s as much as 20 elephants! Still, it didn’t look so big in the “monkey puzzle” forests where it lived – these giant trees can grow to 25m tall! But even the planet’s most colossal creature wasn’t safe from predators. Although being 10 times lighter, mapusauruses, the largest known meat-eating dinosaurs, would hunt argentinosaurus in packs!
Name: Nothronychus
Lived: 92 million years ago
Size: Up to 6m long
Discovered: New Mexico, USA
Say it: Noth-throw-nye-cuss
Discovered just 10 years ago, the nothronychus’ distinctive features show scientists that it is related to the therizinosaurus, which lived far, far away in what is now Central Asia! With bird-like hips, a big “pot belly” and four, forward-turning toes on each foot, it walked – slowly! – on its hind legs, leaving its huge but nimble clawed arms free to tear down branches and plants to eat. It seems this creature has a lot to teach us. Before it was found, experts believed that the area where it lived had been under the sea!
Name: Pentaceratops
Lived: 75 million years ago
Size: Up to 8m long
Discovered: New Mexico, USA
Say it: Pen-ta-ser-ah-tops
This hefty, horned herbivore still holds the record for the largest skull of any land animal ever! Measuring 3m long, its spectacular skull featured five horns, as well as a huge “frill” at the back of its head which may have evolved to protect its neck. Experts believe that the horns were too thin to be much use for fighting off big predators and that perhaps they were more for showing off! Pentaceratops also had a parrot-like beak for chomping through tough plants. Who’s a pretty boy, then?
Name: Gastonia
Lived: 125 million years ago
Size: Up to 5m long
Discovered: Utah, USA
Say it: Gas-tone-ee-ah
When it comes to being well-defended, this mighty plant-eater is pretty hard to beat. Weighing in at about a tonne – as heavy as a large car – its body was covered in tough bony plates. Huge spikes up to 30cm long grew from the gastonia’s shoulders, back and along its sides, while thick layers of bone protected its brain and a smooth plate across its hips guarded its spine. On its powerful tail, double rows of jagged barbs lined each side so the animal could lash out at attackers. Nasty!
For more dino-mite adventures, check out the National Geographic Kids Dinopedia book, available at Waterstone’s and other good book retailers now.
More Like Prehistoric Animals

Dinosaur Interview with Steve Brusatte!

Yuval Noah Harari Interview!

NG KiDS chats to Dinosaur Expert Jack Horner!

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COMMENTS1
winston
Kenzi
MIne Favourite dinois Allosaurus!
Kentrosaurus(Kenzi)
MY FAvourite Dinosaur is Allosaurus!
Ari
Rapiña ave
wow wow wow wow
Marsi
Love space and dinosaurs
kaitlyn11519
wow that
wwwwoooowwww
I LOVE ANIMALS 2010
WOW. My fave was the Dracorex Hogwartsia for 2 reasons its named after harry potter and is later evolved into the Stygimolch
It was so so cool. I am going to be a paleontologist.
dcdo
hi
Artie
cool
Carter
cool
Hosanna
Soo cool and usefull
alyaa
dinosaurs rule.
Jasmine
I love dinosaurs
Pineapple
Thanks!For teaching me everything thats amazing!!!
Michael.blake
that was roarsome
Michael.blake
that is amazing I love dinosaurs I'm learning about them I even have toys of them roarsome
archie
wow
TARBOSAURO XD
YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU GUYS (national geographic people) REALLY DESERVE SOMETHING AWESOME AND GOOD... I WOULD GIVE YOU A... UH-DINOSAUR FOSSIL! EACH PERSON WOULD GET ONE! THERE FAVORITE DINO.. GOOD LUCK!!!!
TARBOSAURO XD
THANK YOU THANK YOU! WHEN I GROW UP, IM GONNA BE A PALEONTOLOGIST!RAWRRRRRRR!!!!
Chloe Z
Woah, I never knew that a normal tricerotops would be so deadly! Thank you for helping me learn more!
Wow it was amazing and being a potterhead (harry potter fan) I think it is super cool that someone named a dino after it in honour of the series.
many1234
BaD
Metehan
I love Dinosaurs and ny favorite Dinosaur is Transaurus rex
yacub
verrynice
KrenjaminKrash999
Wicked sick - Id so feed my two deaf cats to the Noth-throw-nye-cuss!
Many12334
Lol Lol man Lol
-Martin yo
This is kinda ok Im not sure if I like it
Many12334
Lol Lol Lol Lol Lol Lol
Pod
Basikkkk
Many12334
The basest book in the world
Pod
Epicccc
Many12334
Not good
kamyn
I want a T-rex what do yall want ?
Brantley
I love. It. Because. It. Is. So. Cool
bradin
yeh
GiraffeGirl
So cool!
Jessier
Cool! My favourite dinosaur was the Dracorex
dinodan
NO LIES
cassieh3
WOW!
Gdrtshtfdydsfbjkgyufyigyudrzfxdsergaerwgeret,jiioi
Really cool
woop
great
denny
brilliant
nosek
I love it awesome so many facts
loughlan
best!
meshak
AWSOME
weeeeeeeee
i like it
weeeeeeeee
its awesome
Oski
AMAZING
Garry
Good man!!!!!!!!!
Scarlet Friars and Elizabeth wallace
It is so cool we love it. We loved all of the facts
Divi
Wickedly awesome
xxxx
XXXX SAW U FAIL
xxxx
EPIC EPIC EPIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
toothless8
sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooawsome
LaylaHayder123
awsome!!!!!
Keshava
those were some deadly dinos
emaanfn
I love turtles their so cute
vrishabhg13
I LOVE IT SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH. thanks for making THIS
coolgamerandawesome
lol I really liked reading this even though I didnt really focus xD
jenny201
I heart dinos thank you for sharing some valid info thx again
exzavior
awsome
man123
epic
duds_123_world
I love dinosaurs
duds_123_world
cool I love dinosaurs they are great rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrooooooooooooooooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!lol
KAI BRUCE
WOW.IM T-REX!
Steve
Im inpressed
Lina
C001
Lina
C001
Supersaurus
I never knew what a gastonia was
haroon
raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa i love dinosaru
teague10
STUPID
detrick
dinos are roar_some
Tommy
Cool
radnorblue
AWESOME MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
jAKE1
I think it was EXCELLENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TOUPCHIANI
so cool
Ryan_kid_21
sweet
muhammad
you are great
sniper123
LOL
Markus
Why is there no branchasouras and a dipodulcus
Rhysjohnson
thank for telling me more about dinosaurs and that you helped me with saying a few other dinosaurs names
gill1234
I never new so much about dinosaurs!
dino akaash
dinotastic
jackback
awesome
jackback
epic
indominus rex 2365
i like all the dinosaurs
Chelsea
WOW WOW WOW
Dusty
they are cool
kilacam150
AWESOME SO AWESOME!
Magnus
Grate
Xsnake
I like Tarbasaurus,Mapasaurus and gallimimus ;there my fav dinos
fynn
cool dinos,cool facts.i never knew a velosiraptor lived 80,000,000 years ago .
Billy
Wow
laura2005
awesome
r0w12345
cool stuf
panthers01
Crazy cool
roi123
cool
roi123
good
panthers01
WOW! Best website (:
panther01
love dinos
panther01
nice job
zulie
coooooooool dinosaurs
SonicBeast
These dinos are amazing
onesimo
this is cool
Gracie2006
cool!
JAmJAmJamaica
wow this is amazing
Seabluescience
I love this!
MeetEater
COOL
Allosaurus
These dinosaurs are super awesome
des
dinos rule
Roi
AMAZING!!
shaunshoes08-
i love this
marlin
this was amazing
schoolpupil1
totes amazing
Sumit
that is epic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
yuyaoxie
cool scary dinos
Arjun
I am so exited
PEA
wow
Vani
I am doing a project about dinosaurs in school I enjoyed looking at this website thank you!
Zia_REZA
cool I love dinosaurs so much
klaudiusz
dinos are awseme
JULIETA
I LOVE DINOSAURS THEY ARE SO COOL
zakaria2008
I think it was really interesting and I liked it very much and I hope I get to read more about dinosaurs
Marcelo
Cool dinos!
Pranav
It was full of informative and amazing facts.
5foranimals
I love dinos
JILLIE25
COOL FACTFILE!
Mineey
Cool
kaos1050
what about other dinosaurs like preditor x, megalodon, sarchasuchus, spinosaurous, carchadontasaur, mapasaurous, allosaurous, kimarusaurous!
Maddisyn
Your dinersosie are so cool.
Gleason
Super cool! I like the t-Rex!
robot
wow amazing
Roseberryapple2
My fave is the one at the front! There fearsome!!!!!! i love em !!!!! :D
robot
wow love it.im a girl dont exepeted that .
N.G.dinosaur
T-Rex is my most favourite
dinohunter2005
Cool facts!
jamai
wow
Ben
This is an awesome website
anish6789
cool
PINAPPLEBRAIN
THAT WAS AWSOME NOW I HAVE LEARNT LOTS OF DINASUAR NAMES
mincraft7894
BEST OF THE BEST
AnimalJamRules
I <3 the photos!!!
hdfdas
good
minecraft123456789
love
maddson
i like the pictures of the dinosaurs
Dino tiger
Scary
HDB
They are cool dinosaures
sam1234
cool
twixnyanmikey
nice
tere
awesome
amalhassan
love it toataly awsome
Marija
Am I the only 1 who thinks that thinks that nothronychus looks exact like archaeopteryx ? Those animals ere like half birds half reptilies :-) first birds
jamesmay
Awesome facts.
BirdGuy121
NG rocks!
MegaSharkGirl
Dinos are AWESOME! My faves definitely the T-Rex.
xXx_sweglord_xXx
wow
Gastoniaisawesome
Gastonia looks really deadly even if its only a herbivore
jaffer
this is a interesting site and i love dinosaurs
Ian
My favorite dinosaur out of these seven is the Nothronychus.
crazy1234
awsome
Miss Mistery 3342254412
I think I mite know a bit more about the T -rex
nelutupuscas
wow that is awsome
Zavier
Sweet
animal236
awesome
Moath-Ashhab
I like dinosaurs i like most the vilociraptor
sebasticus
epic :)
Captin bucket head
So cool love it
Ellie's /
Ccccoooolllll!
Ellie's /
Deadly I say!
crisp
brillint
scarlett893
Great!
Lucian
this book is brilliant!
loz123
this is okay but cool!
Reeba
wow your world is sik
coyote
wOW
balloonking123456789
The gastonia is soooo cool!
ok
hi love dinos
77655876
I love dinos
77655876
this is so cooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool
noah1234
coooooooooooooooooooooool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
realCookie
AWSOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nabila
Awesome!
Moath
N.G IS THE BEST
anna2323454
I love it
Dubai_girl
I love DINOS!
charlie45
I,m new to NGkids
Grrrreat
Gemma morrey
yugender
i like dinosaurs i like all dinosaurs but i like trex too much
jack
I love this website.
Lo
It was awsome
bluerules
whoa cool I need this for research but I cant look away
Arun
I love dracorex
akasha
THE T-Rex is away some .
DOLPHER
Awesome!
DOLPHER
I like it so much
DOLPHER
I like Gastonia and t-rex
Robert
In the picture of the Nothronychus, is the one flying an archeaopteryx?
wilson
I love dinos
Shanzie
I love t-rexs
hemlock17
I like T-rex the best
hemlock17
my favourite is t-rex
Kelly 1234
OMG, this is awesome
CUSTOMIZE YOUR AVATAR