Terrible Lizards

12:56

TLS12DB20 Forked Tongues

Terrible Lizards ·

2026/09/30

Could a pair of Quetzalcoatlus really harass a T. rex away from a carcass? And did dinosaurs have forked tongues like snakes and Komodo dragons? In this Dinosaur Bite, Iszi Lawrence and Dr Dave Hone tackle both questions - starting with the Prehistoric Planet scene in which two enormous azhdarchid pterosaurs hassle a T. rex over a carcass. Dave explains why the basic idea is perfectly plausible, drawing comparisons with modern animals such as hyenas, lions and vultures. But there's one part of the

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58:08

TLS12E09 Dinosaur Tracks and photogrammetry

Terrible Lizards ·

2026/09/23

What can dinosaur footprints tell us that bones can't? n this episode of Terrible Lizards, Iszi Lawrence and Dr Dave Hone talk to palaeontologist Brent Breithaupt about the science of trace fossils: the footprints, trackways, nests, bite marks and other evidence left behind by animals millions of years ago. You can watch the episode on youtube here: https://youtu.be/puS0gkuTCHY Brent has spent decades studying dinosaur and pterosaur footprints, particularly in Wyoming, and was at the forefront of

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13:21

S12DB19 Where Did Pterosaurs Lay Their Eggs?

Terrible Lizards ·

2026/09/16

How did pterosaurs actually nest? Did they build colonies like seabirds, bury their soft-shelled eggs like crocodiles and turtles, or something stranger? In this archive extract, Iszi Lawrence and Dr Dave Hone discuss pterosaur nesting behaviour, what we know about predators that might have eaten pterosaurs and their eggs, and why the fossil evidence is frustratingly limited. They also tackle what might have survived the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction, why some small feathered dinosaurs might have

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10:35

S12DB18 How Did Dinosaur Heads Attach?

Terrible Lizards ·

2026/09/02

Link to youtube video: https://youtu.be/VVFicHNMxys What happens when a palaeontologist goes back to his office and comes home with five boxes of dinosaur casts and fossils? In this archive extract from one of our earliest live shows, we look at the contents of Dr Dave Hone's fossil collection including a real ceratopsian skull bone, casts of tiny dinosaurs and Iszi's Lego dinosaur that turns out to be surprisingly anatomically accurate. In this Dinosaur Bite, Dave explains how a ceratopsian's

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53:24

S12E08 Live At Dinocon 2026

Terrible Lizards ·

2026/08/26

Recorded live at DinoCon 2026, Iszi Lawrence and Dr Dave Hone answer audience questions covering everything from Spinosaurus and Tyrannosaurus to fossil auctions, pterosaur wings and the strangest dinosaur names imaginable. For the free video link and options to support the podcast and get bonus episodes every month, join us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/terriblelizards Questions in this episode: Did Spinosaurus hunt by swimming like a crocodile, or stalking prey like a heron? If you could

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10:20

S12DB17 Why Palaeontologists Hate 'Biggest Dinosaur'...

Terrible Lizards ·

2026/08/05

In this bite from an old live stream, Iszi Lawrence and Dr Dave Hone discuss why claims of the "largest dinosaur ever" are much harder to prove than the headlines suggest. They explore how palaeontologists estimate the size of enormous titanosaurs, why complete skeletons are so rare, and why finding an even bigger individual is always a possibility. Along the way they also discuss whether dinosaurs ever stopped growing, why weight matters more than length when comparing giant animals, and why every

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52:55

TLS12E07 The Business of Dinosaurs:

Terrible Lizards ·

2026/07/29

Should dinosaur fossils belong in museums—or can they be bought and sold like works of art? When the spectacular Tyrannosaurus rex known as "Gus" was preparing to go under the hammer (and has since sold for a staggering $50 million), it reignited one of palaeontology's biggest ethical debates. In this episode Dr Dave Hone and Iszi Lawrence explore the booming fossil market and ask what happens when scientifically important specimens disappear into private collections. Is it wrong for billionaires to

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10:14

S12DB16 T. rex bite marks, the new Spinosaurus model...

Terrible Lizards ·

2026/07/22

In this archive discussion, Iszi Lawrence and Dr Dave Hone answer listener questions about museum exhibits, dinosaur reconstructions, Spinosaurus, and which prehistoric animal could become the next global superstar. You can watch this episode on youtube here: https://youtu.be/AL5bquwdpcQ Questions in this episode 🦖 Harry (age 8) asks: We saw Titus the T. rex and the supposed bite mark on its tail — is it really a bite, and what other pathologies does Titus have? 🎨 Phil asks: What does Dave

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14:21

S12DB15 T. rex under the hammer

Terrible Lizards ·

2026/07/15

With another Tyrannosaurus rex making headlines at auction, we're revisiting this discussion from 2020, recorded just after the famous sale of Stan. Iszi Lawrence and Dr Dave Hone explore why the sale stunned palaeontologists, what it could mean for museums and scientific research, and whether record-breaking prices change the fossil market forever. This is an archive discussion, but many of the questions it raises remain just as relevant today. If you'd like to hear more, we'll have a brand new

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12:34

S12DB14 Inside an Oviraptor Nest!

Terrible Lizards ·

2026/07/01

In this 2021 clip from Terrible Lizards, Iszi and Dave discuss the fossilised Oviraptor nest that made headlines around the world. Was this really evidence that dinosaurs sat on their eggs like birds, or was the story more complicated? Discover what embryos inside the eggs reveal about dinosaur parenting, asynchronous hatching, brooding behaviour, and why some palaeontologists think male Oviraptors may have guarded the nest. Along the way, the conversation explores ostriches, crocodiles, chickens,

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54:44

TLS12E06 Spinosaurus, Jurassic World & Troodon

Terrible Lizards ·

2026/06/23

Recorded live at the Lyme Regis Fossil Festival 2026, Iszi Lawrence and Dr Dave Hone tackle questions from the audience on everything from Spinosaurus salt glands and Jurassic World to feathered pterosaurs, Troodon taxonomy, AI in palaeontology and where the next great dinosaur discovery might be hiding. Questions featured in this episode include: • Could pterosaurs perch, hover or even fly backwards? • Did Spinosaurus have salt glands? • Has the Jurassic World franchise helped or harmed public

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17:41

S12DB13 Mary Anning, Marine Reptiles & the Jurassic...

Terrible Lizards ·

2026/06/17

Mary Anning is one of the most important figures in the history of paleontology but how much do we really know about her? Recorded live at the Lyme Regis Fossil Festival, Iszi Lawrence and Dr Dave Hone are joined by Kieran Satchell from Lyme Regis Museum to explore the life, discoveries and legacy of the pioneering fossil hunter who helped transform our understanding of prehistoric life. From ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs to the early days of fossil collecting on the Jurassic Coast, this episode

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12:39

S12DB12 What colour were triceratops horns?

Terrible Lizards ·

2026/06/03

Were dinosaur horns brightly coloured? And is there really such a thing as a "top predator"? In this extract of a Terrible Lizards bonus we recorded last year, we tackle two surprisingly big dinosaur questions from our listeners. First: what colour were dinosaur horns and frills? Could horned dinosaurs like Triceratops and other ceratopsians have had vivid displays like modern birds? We explore colourful toucans, puffins, flamingos, and even vultures that deliberately dye themselves red to ask

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56:41

S12E05 Mass Extinctions, CGI & Dinosaurs

Terrible Lizards ·

2026/05/27

Can you make a prehistoric documentary without relying on T. rex? We chat to Tim Haines, the man behind Walking with Dinosaurs and the new series Surviving Earth about mammal-like reptiles, giant extinctions, documentary trickery, CGI dinosaurs, weird prehistoric noises and how you make audiences emotionally invest in creatures that may or may not have peed. From gorgonopsians to giant climate shifts, this is a deep dive into both prehistory and documentary filmmaking. Want bonus episodes and extra

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14:16

S12DB11 What Bird Eyes Reveal About Dinosaurs

Terrible Lizards ·

2026/05/20

In this short discussion, palaeontologist Dave Hone and Iszi Lawrence chat with podcaster Suzy Buttress about the strangeness of bird eyes... from iris colour and pupil shape, to owls, crocodiles and the frustrating problem of soft tissue in fossils. Could dinosaurs really have had the slit pupils made famous by Jurassic Park? Or have we been picturing dinosaur eyes all wrong? Expect: birds, dinosaurs, crocodiles, giant marine reptile eyeballs, weird owl anatomy, and some surprisingly unsettling

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11:44

S12DB10 Could dinosaurs hear you whistle?

Terrible Lizards ·

2026/05/06

Could a dinosaur hear you whistle? Did giant dinosaurs have gigantic feathers? And would a head-butting dinosaur really scrape the ground like a bull before charging? In this Dinosaur Bite episode, palaeontologist Dr Dave Hone and Iszi Lawrence tackle your brilliantly weird dinosaur questions—exploring how dinosaurs heard the world around them, what their feathers were really like, and whether famous scenes in Prehistoric Planet are grounded in science or artistic licence. From tiny, high-pitched

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01:01:33

Enigmacursor: Small Dinosaurs, Big Impact

Terrible Lizards ·

2026/04/29

https://www.patreon.com/terriblelizards Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/giB-id1iEZE When people think of dinosaurs, it's usually the giants that come to mind—but most dinosaur groups began with much smaller, often overlooked species. Among them are the small ornithopods: fragmentary, tricky to classify, and frequently lost in a tangle of confusing names and incomplete fossils. Yet these modest dinosaurs are hugely important. They paved the way for the later success of major groups like

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14:28

S12DB09 Planet of the Dinosaurs 1977

Terrible Lizards ·

2026/04/15

Dr Dave Hone and Iszi react to an old dinosaur movie from the seventees. We recommend watching this as a video, available on our patreon (as well as on Spotify) so you can see what we are reacting to. https://www.patreon.com/terriblelizards This dinosaur bite is taken from an old bonus episode for our patrons back in 2021 where we watched the full movie (it was free on YouTube back then) and did a commentary. You can still watch the whole thing here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/60258810 Becoming

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09:47

S12DB08 Dinosaur Cuckoos?

Terrible Lizards ·

2026/04/01

Did dinosaurs raise each other's young like modern cuckoos do? Dr Dave Hone and Iszi Lawrence discuss how we would know if brood parasitism existed millions of years ago. To get more bonus material and keep the podcast ad free go to: https://www.patreon.com/terriblelizards

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01:01:58

S12E03 Crocs

Terrible Lizards ·

2026/03/25

Please support the show, grab extra content and keep the podcast ad free: https://www.patreon.com/terriblelizards You can watch this as a video on youtube here: https://youtu.be/z0y9N1bPmGY Having recently caught up with the much-overlooked prosauropods (or at least, overlooked by us), and after many requests from our patrons on patreon, this month we turn our attention to the crocodiles! Much like birds, major parts of the biology of these animals (living and extinct) are critical for

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