Is That a Dinosaur?

You and your friends are trading Pokémon cards. You’re about to hand over Tyrantrum when you notice something. The character looks a lot like Tyrannosaurus rex, one of the most ferocious dinosaurs that ever lived. Both stand on two legs and have tiny arms. Both also have strong jaws with razor-sharp teeth.

These similarities are no accident. In fact, Tyrantrum is one of many Pokémon inspired by dinosaurs.

Now visitors to the Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois, can compare some of their favorite characters with the dinosaurs they’re based on. A new exhibit at the museum features giant Pokémon skeletons alongside the fossils of real dinosaurs. The exhibit is called the Pokémon Fossil Museum. It opened earlier this year.

Arjan Mann is one of the scientists who organized the exhibit. He says Pokémon and dinosaurs are a lot alike.

“Paleontology has had a large influence on Pokémon,” Mann explains.

Dinosaurs ruled Earth for about 165 million years. The mighty T. rex is one of the most famous. This giant meat eater was about 40 feet long and weighed 20,000 pounds—about the size of a school bus. It gobbled up more than 300 pounds of food every day.

Then, about 66 million years ago, a giant space rock called an asteroid slammed into Earth. It hit what is now Mexico. Scientists think the crash instantly killed nearly everything within about 600 miles.

They also believe it triggered a series of wildfires and a massive earthquake. That caused a cloud of ash and dust, which blanketed the planet for years. Without sunlight, most plants couldn’t grow. About three-quarters of all plant and animal species, including nearly all dinosaurs, died out completely.

Over time, the animals’ bodies rotted away. Some of their bones eventually became fossils.

Today scientists all over the world dig up and study these remains to learn about the past. Fossils can tell scientists a lot about when a creature lived, what it looked like, and what it ate. Fossils can even offer clues about what the environment was like millions of years ago.

“Fossils give us a deep understanding of how life on Earth has changed,” Mann explains.

At the Field Museum, dinosaur fossils are displayed near the Pokémon they inspired (see “Look Familiar?”).

Mann hopes the exhibit will encourage visitors to learn more about ancient creatures.

“There’s so much diversity and excitement in natural history,” he says.