Paleontologist Jessica Whiteside reveals that dinosaurs burped from their mouths and bottoms.
This episode of Tumble explores whether dinosaurs burped and farted, and what that gas might have meant for Earth's ancient climate. Hosts Lindsay and Marshall investigate this question from listener Griffin with the help of paleontologist Jessica Whiteside and ecologist David Wilkinson.
Jessica Whiteside states that plant-eating dinosaurs did both burp and "bottom burp," or fart. She explains that dinosaurs like sauropods, including brontosaurus, swallowed stones to help digest tough plant cellulose in their hindguts, leading them to produce gas from their rear. In contrast, ornithischian dinosaurs like triceratops evolved cheeks to chew their food and digested it more like cows, leading them to burp from their mouths. The gases produced are methane and carbon dioxide, which are known to contribute to climate warming. David Wilkinson conducted a study to estimate whether sauropod methane emissions could have affected the Mesozoic climate, using data from modern animals like elephants.
Wilkinson's research found a correlation between animal size and methane production, allowing him to extrapolate data up to sauropod scale. His calculations estimated that the total methane from sauropods could have been similar to the amount produced by all human-related sources today. However, the study concluded this methane contributed only a small amount to the already very warm climate of the sauropods' era, which had no ice caps and high carbon dioxide levels. The episode notes that while a warm, gassy atmosphere may have benefited plant-eating dinosaurs, similar emissions from modern cows are a concern for today's climate.
The tone is playful and humorous, filled with puns and kid-friendly jokes about bodily functions, while maintaining an educational core. The style is conversational and interview-based, weaving expert explanations with the hosts' curious banter.
Young listeners fascinated by dinosaurs and gross science will love this episode's mix of paleontology and potty humor. Those seeking a more serious or advanced scientific discussion might find the constant joking and simplified explanations less engaging.
