Student Article

A real-world Jurassic Park might not be filled with giant monsters — but with small, deadly pests.

Big meat-eaters might not have cared about us

If dinosaurs were to return today, Hollywood would have us believe that humanity would be constantly running from towering predators like Tyrannosaurus rex or Giganotosaurus. These meat-eaters were huge — comparable in length to a school bus — and had massive skulls and bone-crushing jaws. Despite their size and strength, they may not have actively hunted humans. In fact, with their high intelligence and sharp senses, including excellent smell and sight, they may have considered humans too small to be worth the effort.

Even gentle giants were dangerous

The real risk from dinosaurs might have come from those that didn’t hunt at all. Plant-eating sauropods like Argentinosaurus or Patagotitan weighed over 200,000 pounds — more than a commercial airplane. A single accidental step could crush a human instantly.

Some plant-eaters could fight back

Many herbivores, such as horned ceratopsians and duck-billed hadrosaurs, traveled in large social herds. These groups would likely have seen humans as threats, triggering aggressive or defensive reactions.

Small dinosaurs were fierce and fast

But the most persistent threat might have been the smaller, feathered dinosaurs — avian ancestors like Velociraptor. These creatures were no larger than small dogs, yet their intelligence, agility, and sickle-shaped claws made them aggressive and dangerous. They would not have needed to see humans as prey — just as intruders. Their ability to ambush, scratch, and bite would have made them a constant danger, like vicious, prehistoric pests.

In the end, size wouldn’t have determined threat level — ferocity, speed, and behavior would. A world with dinosaurs wouldn’t just be scary because of giants. It would be terrifying because of the tiny ones hiding in the shadows.

© Dr. Stephen Brusatte / Our Media