Pterosaurs, literally meaning “wing lizard," were flying reptiles that went extinct with the dinosaurs and were basically the birds of their time. Well, if birds could get up to the weight of a polar bear, have the wingspan of a small airplane, and the neck the size of a giraffe. Doesn't sound terrifying at all, right, Amber? Pterosaurs were the first flying animals with vertebrates and filled every niche birds currently fill. Including creatures similar to the wide mouth potoos, the wandering albatrosses, or even the carcass loving condor. 

The first fossils of Pterosaurs were discovered in the late 1700’s and confused their finders into thinking they could have only used their unusual limbs for paddling in the water. Later scientist thought they might have flippers. Some thought they might be marsupials (think flying Opossum), and others thought they were cold-blooded reptiles that had to jump from high places to fly. When we did realize that they flew, we could not figure out how. In fact, we still do not know how they flew, but we know that they could. 

Listen now to learn all about Pterosaurs, the flying cousins of dinosaurs, aka the Birds of Mesozoic.

For more information on us, visit our website at betterthanhumanpodcast.com

Follow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1

on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcast

on Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcast

on TikTok  @ https://www.tiktok.com/@l_a_mander 
https://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcast

or Email us at [email protected]

We look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!

#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdness