Treacherous Titans: Bone-Crushing Dinosaurs In Motion

The Titans of the Past Exhibition at the Science Center Singapore features real fossils that highlight the growth and behavior of prehistoric animals.

AsianScientist (Dec. 9, 2013) – As a fan of the prehistoric era, I was stoked when I had the opportunity to check out dinosaurs, ice-age mammals and all things massive at the ‘Titans Of The Past- Dinosaurs and Ice Age Mammals’ exhibition at the Science Center Singapore.

The four-month long exhibition, taking place from October 25, 2013 to February 23, 2014, features dinosaur fossils and the research of Dr. Jack Horner, a paleontologist from the Museum of Rockies in Montana, US.

Previously, scientists categorized dinosaurs as different species because they were unable to recognize the dinosaurs’ juvenile characteristics. Dr. Horner showed that many of them were actually juveniles from the same species.

It was an eye-opener to learn how dinosaurs grew and functioned—especially that their physical attributes have minimal use in hunting. Take the Triceratops for example. The thick horns that emerge from their heads were not only used to defend themselves; the angle in which the horn grew also determined the age of the dinosaur.

So there I stood, examining eight Triceratop skull structures; I could see the gradual shifting of horns when comparing the species’ development from a child (upward point) to an adult (downward point).

triceratops fossil

Before this, my knowledge of these extinct animals came from television documentaries and childhood cartoons such as The Land Before Time and the Ice Age series. But at the Titans of the Past exhibition, I could view the sharp teeth marks of a T. rex indented in a hipbone fossil of a Triceratops. Now, that’s realistic!

trex tooth marks

I learnt more about dinosaur behavior, growth and physical attributes with the help of a friendly guide, Mr. Foo Soon Onn. Looking at the fossil of an adult T. rex next to its young. Mr. Foo pointed out that although the adult and young are of the same species, there is a hint of difference somewhere. Taking a closer look at the structure of their teeth, I finally understood what he meant. As the T. rex grew from a juvenile to an adult, their diets changed. T. rex juveniles had small, sharp, blade-shaped teeth to cut through flesh; Adults, on the other hand, had large, blunt and rounded teeth meant for crushing bones.

Then came the highlight of the entire exhibition: The biggest T. rex skull ever discovered was enclosed in a glass display, dimly lit, highlighting the intricate details of its bones and teeth. Visitors crowded around with awe. Children craned their necks to get a better angle of the skull of the terrifying beast. Originally discovered in Argentina, paleontologists continued to look for the rest of the fossil but surprisingly no traces were found. Could this possibly be a decapitated dinosaur?

trex skull

Entering the next segment, I was greeted by an adult Hypacrosaurus and its offspring. This dinosaur had a huge hump (nasal crest) on its head very similar to the humps on camels. The adult projected a low-pitched groan close to the sound an elephant makes, while the young ones produced a higher pitch sound like the sharp tweets of birds. Could there be a reason for this?

Mr. Foo explained that dinosaurs are very similar to humans. The young ones will stay close to adults for care and protection. In contrast, the adult Hypacrosaurus used low-pitched sounds that echo further in distance to communicate with other adults and find their way around land. Interestingly, its nasal crest might have been used as a resonating chamber for communication. Who knew that the sounds emerging from the Hypacrosaurus was correlated with the size the hump on its head?

nasal crest dinosaur

Another aspect I enjoyed during the tour was how child-friendly the exhibition is. Amid the fossils, captions and serious science stuff, there are sections where children can watch informative cartoons and videos related to the dinosaur displays.

In addition to that, there are fossil replicas covered in sand—perfect to bring out the paleontologist in your child, who can dig up the bones for themselves. They can even opt to draw and color their favorite dinosaurs, sculpt dinosaurs using modeling clay and even have a life-sized Triceratops lay an egg for them—only to discover puzzles and 3D dinosaur toys inside.

children in sandpit

With fun dinosaur and Ice Age activities to amaze children and serious content to engage an older crowd, the ‘Titans of the Past’ exhibition is both family-friendly and educational.

Now here’s a little secret: Parents who think their kids need a pop of adventure need to look no further. Science Center Singapore is hosting a ‘Night at the Museum’ fun-filled tour, where children will get to explore the exhibition after dark and engage in entertaining activities.

It is not everyday that you get to step into the prehistoric era; you might just want to pop in for a visit like I did.


Asian Scientist Magazine is a media partner of Science Center Singapore.

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Copyright: Asian Scientist Magazine. Photos: Asian Scientist Magazine.
Disclaimer: This article does not necessarily reflect the views of AsianScientist or its staff.

Kavitha received a BA in journalism and mass communication from the Walter Cronkite School at Arizona State University in the US.

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