FOSSILS ET AL.
Did a Horned Dinosaur Inspire the Mythological Griffin?
New research challenges the popular hypothesis that Protoceratops fossils inspired the mythological griffin, revealing significant geographical and anatomical inconsistencies
We live in a very unique time in human history. Millennia of scientific research and discoveries have gotten us to a point where we seldom need to make up stories to describe natural events. However, this hasn’t always been the case.
For centuries, humans have explained things such as fossils of animals no human has ever seen alive as mythological creatures. While understanding these creatures and their past ecological contexts is essential for having a better picture of how life on Earth has evolved, they also bring another opportunity for research within the social sciences. How have these fossils shaped culture, religion, and society?
As someone with a background in Paleontology, I find every study at the intersection between biology and cultural evolution fascinating. So, of course, I had to report on this most recent study on the topic.
