Everything Dinosaur’s Palaeontology Predictions for 2020

Just for a little bit of fun, team members at Everything Dinosaur have been taking a look into their crystal balls to see if they can predict some of the news stories and other articles that we will feature on this blog site over the coming twelve months or so.  Proposals have been brought forward, we have discussed and debated and come up with a list of our predictions for what we think will be covered in our next 365 or so blog posts.

Palaeontology Predictions

Here are our attempts at second guessing what news stories will be covered on this site.  At the end of 2020, we will take a look back to see how we have done.

1).  A new Dinosaur Named from Thailand

Last year we predicted that a new dinosaur would be named and described from fossil discoveries made in India.  We drew a blank on that one, we did not report any new genera from India being erected, so, this time we will predict that a new dinosaur will be discovered in Thailand, perhaps a basal ornithopod or a member of the Theropoda.

Last year we reported upon the discovery of two meat-eating dinosaurs from Thailand (Phuwiangvenator yaemniyomi and Vayuraptor nongbualamphuensis), in previous years we have blogged about the discovery of the remains of a huge sauropod.  Dinosaur fossils from Thailand are rare, but we will stick our collective necks out and predict a new dinosaur from this part of south-east Asia.

To read our 2019 blog article about Phuwiangvenator yaemniyomi and Vayuraptor nongbualamphuensis: Two New Theropods from Thailand.

Will a New Theropod Dinosaur be Named in 2020 from Fossils Found in Thailand?

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

2).  Everything Dinosaur to be Awarded Feefo Platinum Award for Customer Service

The independent ratings company Feefo will introduce a new top standard of customer service in 2020.  The Feefo Platinum Trusted Service award recognises those businesses that go above and beyond to provide a consistently high level of customer service all the time.  This is the highest service recognition that Feefo has ever offered, will Everything Dinosaur achieve these exacting standards.  Our team members are going to do their best, if we continue to put our customers front and centre then we predict that Everything Dinosaur will achieve this standard in the next twelve months.

Everything Dinosaur Has Earned the Feefo Gold Standard for Customer Service but in 2020 Can We Do Better?

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

3).  The “Jurassic Mile” to Make its Mark

A 26o hectare site in Wyoming (United States), will continue to astonish scientists with the wealth of Late Jurassic fossil material that it contains.  We predict that Everything Dinosaur will report on more discoveries from this remarkable site.

The location will be opened again in the spring and the joint Dutch, American and British research team will be adding to their discoveries shortly afterwards.  Expect more news of sauropods, fossil flora and dinosaur tracks, with theropods and stegosaurs thrown into the mix too.  It is the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis that is leading the research, we predict more news from them and sadly, the first reports of illegal fossil gathering from the site.

Professor Phil Manning (University of Manchester) at the “Jurassic Mile”

Picture credit: Manchester University

4).  The Anthropocene and our Carbon Footprint

Climate change will dominate the news in the coming years.  Everything Dinosaur team members predict that the Anthropocene, the proposed, new geological epoch dating from the commencement of significant human impact on Earth’s geology and ecosystems will be thrown into sharp focus this year.  Research will be published that contrasts the sudden rise in greenhouse gases with what is known about global warming from ancient palaeoclimates.

In 2019, Everything Dinosaur developed an environmental and ethical trading policy.  We will continue to do our part by increasing the amount of recycled packing materials we use, cutting out waste, increasing the amount of material recycled and reducing our use or electricity.  Team members have a number of initiatives in place to help make our company more environmentally friendly including supporting the restoration of natural habitats.

We predict blog posts will focus on the environmental emergency and that links will be made to previous climate change events recorded by scientists.  The concept of a sixth mass extinction event as recorded in the Phanerozoic will be reported upon in this weblog.

5).  Everything Dinosaur to add an Additional Fifty Models

This year is going to be yet another very busy one for Everything Dinosaur.  The range of models and figures that we currently supply is vast but just as last year we predict that at least fifty new replicas and figures will be added to our range over the next twelve months.  We have already made exclusive announcements about CollectA models and Papo, expect more news about new products in the coming months.  Fifty new models works out at around one new model every 175 hours!

New Models for 2020 in Stock at Everything Dinosaur

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

6). “Jurassic World 3” – First Trailers Expected

Expect the hyperbole regarding the sixth instalment of the “Jurassic Park/World” movie franchise to build over the next twelve months.  The first teaser trailers are likely to be released soon, perhaps airing first in the USA during the commercials surrounding the Super Bowl in early February.  An announcement has already been made about the original stars of the 1993 film “Jurassic Park”, joining the cast and reprising their roles for the new film.  “Jurassic World 3” is due for release in 2021 and will be directed by Colin Trevorrow.

7).  Picking Up a Prehistoric Penguin

Last but not least comes our prediction that sometime over the next twelve months or so a scientific paper will be published that describes a new species of prehistoric penguin.  Lots of different types of prehistoric birds are going to be named and described in 2020.  We can expect new discoveries from China, the United States and possibly Antarctica.  However, Everything Dinosaur team members predict that a scientific paper will be published naming and describing a new species of penguin, perhaps a recent Pleistocene species or an early member of the Sphenisciformes Order.

New Zealand has proved to be a successful hunting ground for fossils of early penguins so we predict that the fossil discoveries will come from that country.

To read a recent article about the fossils of a giant penguin: Monster Penguin from the Southern Hemisphere.

So, we have made seven palaeontology predictions about what we will feature on this blog site over the coming year.  In twelve months’ time, we will look back to see how we have got on.

In the meantime, visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

Palaeontology Predictions for 2019 – How Did We Get On?

One of the skills in science is being able to predict the outcome of any experiment.  The prediction can then be compared with the actual outcome and the reasons for any variance can become another line of enquiry.  In early January, there are lots of New Year resolutions being made, but for team members at Everything Dinosaur, rather than looking forward, we shall reflect on the list of palaeontology predictions we made twelve months ago.  How accurate were our attempts at trying to second guess news stories we would cover in this blog?

Thus, we end the preamble and jump right in…

Here is the list of our 2019 palaeontology predictions with notes as to how well (or how badly) we did:

The List of Predictions (2019)

1).  More ceratopsians to be described from America (four new members of the Marginocephalia).
2).  Herefordshire Lagerstätte to make its mark again – a new species of Silurian marine invertebrate.
3).  A new dinosaur from India.
4).  Fifty new models available from Everything Dinosaur.
5).  The presence of melanosomes amongst the Dinosauria (the colour of dinosaurs).
6).  A new species of large azhdarchid pterosaur from northern Africa or the Hateg Basin.
7).  New tyrannosaurids from the United States (two new species).

1).  Four New Members of the Marginocephalia

We are off to a bit of a shaky start.  In 2018, we reported on one new addition to the Marginocephalia and again in 2019 we covered just one new member of this clade.  Our blushes were saved by the first unique dinosaur species to have been found in the Canadian Province of British Columbia – Ferrisaurus sustutensis.  We thought there would be more horned dinosaurs and pachycephalosaurs from what was the southern portion of Laramidia, but no, Ferrisaurus roamed the more northerly parts of this ancient landmass.

Ferrisaurus sustutensis Life Reconstruction

Ferrisaurus sustutensis illustrated.  Just one new member of the Marginocephalia reported upon in 2019, the leptoceratopsid F. sustutensis.

Picture credit: Raven Amos and courtesy of the Royal British Columbia Museum

2).  A New Species of Silurian Marine Invertebrate – Herefordshire Lagerstätte Fossil Find

Back in April 2019, team members wrote about the discovery of a multi-tentacled predator from the secret Silurian-aged Herefordshire Lagerstätte.  Sollasina cthulhu was described in some press reports as a “monster”, but at just three centimetres in diameter, things need to be kept in perspective.  However, it was likely a seafloor-dwelling, ferocious predator and a significant fossil discovery, as it helps to shed light on the evolution of sea cucumbers and their relatives, many of which are still with us today.

Sollasina cthulhu Life Reconstruction

Sollasina cthulhu life reconstruction.

Picture credit: Elissa Martin, (Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History)

3).  A New Dinosaur from India

Whoops, despite lots of new dinosaurs being named and described last year (we think there were 43 new genera published), as far as the team members at Everything Dinosaur are aware, India drew a blank.    Approximately 8 new genera were described from Argentina, China and the USA produced 6 and 5 respectively.  Mongolia had 4 new dinosaur genera named in 2019.  As for India, nothing, our prediction proved to be inaccurate.  There was even a formal description of a long-awaited dinosaur discovery from Japan: Japan’s Greatest Dinosaur Fossil Gets a Name, but nothing from India, better luck next time.

Argentina Recorded Eight New Dinosaur Genera in 2019 including Bajadasaurus pronuspinax

The bizarre cervical vertebrae of Bajadasaurus and a life reconstruction, one of eight new genera of dinosaur described from Argentina in 2019.

Picture credit: Gallina et al published in Scientific Reports and Everything Dinosaur

The Bajadasaurus model shown above is part of the CollectA Deluxe model range.

To view this range: CollectA Deluxe Prehistoric Life Models.

4).  Fifty New Models Available from Everything Dinosaur

With new figures from Mojo Fun, Schleich, PNSO, Rebor, Papo, CollectA and Beasts of the Mesozoic there were more than fifty new prehistoric animal replicas added to the Everything Dinosaur range last year, how many more in 2020?  Perhaps, we could have a go at a prediction for the next twelve months.

Lots and Lots of New Prehistoric Animal Models Added to the Everything Dinosaur Portfolio in 2019

More than fifty different prehistoric animal models added to Everything Dinosaur’s huge range in 2019.  Mojo Fun, PNSO, Rebor, CollectA, Beasts of the Mesozoic, Schleich and Papo what a huge range!

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

To see the range of prehistoric animal models and figures available from Everything Dinosaur: Prehistoric Animals and Dinosaur Models.

5).  The Presence of Melanosomes Amongst the Dinosauria

East Gippsland (Victoria, Australia), currently being devastated by intense bush fires, provided Everything Dinosaur with evidence of the colour of dinosaurs from “Down Under”.  Remarkable bird and non-avian fossilised feathers from the Koonwarra Fish Beds Geological Reserve were analysed and fresh insights into the plumage of Early Cretaceous inhabitants of southern Gondwana were gained.

The scientists, writing in the academic journal “Gondwana Research”, highlighted dark pigmentation which might have provided camouflage or helped with the absorption of energy from the rays of sun – helpful if you live in high latitudes.  Looks like we got this prediction just about right.

One of the Tufted Body Feathers from the Research Paper

A fossilised feather from the Koonwarra Fish Beds Geological Reserve.  More information on prehistoric pigmentation.

Picture credit: Kundrát et al (Gondwana Research)

6).  A New, Large Azhdarchid Pterosaur

2019 proved to be a productive year for pterosaur research, sure enough one of the nine new genera named was indeed a giant, azhdarchid (Cryodrakon boreas).  However, we predicted that this find would be reported from north African deposits or perhaps from the famous Hateg Basin of Romania.

We were correct when it came to the pterosaur but a few thousand miles out when it came to the location of its discovery.  Like Ferrisaurus sustutensis, this was a fossil discovery from Canada, but not from British Columbia, the Cryodrakon fossil remains come from the Dinosaur Provincial Park Formation of southern Alberta.  To read more about this giant flying reptile: The First Pterosaur Unique to Canada.  As Ferrisaurus was the first dinosaur unique to Canada, so Cryodrakon is the first reported pterosaur that was unique to this country too.

7).  Two New Tyrannosaurs from the United States

In February, we reported on a fast-running member of the Tyrannosauroidea from the Cedar Mountain Formation (Utah).  This dinosaur was named Moros intrepidus.  In May, Everything Dinosaur team members blogged about the newly described Suskityrannus hazelae.  It [Suskityrannus] may only have been around three metres in length, but it represents one of the best known early Late Cretaceous tyrannosauroids yet to be described.

Moros intrepidus (top) and Suskityrannus hazelae (below)

Moros intrepidus and Suskityrannus hazelae illustrations.

Picture credit: Andrey Atuchin (S. hazelae) and Jorge Gonzalez (M. intrepidus)

So, all in all, not a bad set of predictions, some were admittedly more accurate than others.  What predictions will we make for 2020?  We will publish our thoughts tomorrow.

Visit Everything Dinosaur’s award-winning website: Everything Dinosaur.