Few subjects in the Earth sciences are as charming to the public as dinosaurs. The study of dinosaurs stretches our imaginations, gives us new perspectives on time and space, and invites us to discover worlds very dissimilar from our contemporary Earth.

From a technical viewpoint, however, the study of dinosaurs is significant both for understanding the causes of past main extinctions of land animals and for understanding the changes in biological diversity caused by preceding geological and climatic changes of the Earth. These changes are still happening today. A wealth of fresh information about dinosaurs has been learned over the past 30 years, and science's old ideas of dinosaurs as sluggish, clumsy beasts have been completely turned around. This pamphlet contains answers to some often asked questions about dinosaurs, with recent ideas and evidence to correct some long-lived popular misconceptions. Although much has been discovered lately about dinosaurs, there is still a excellent deal more to learn about our planet and its ancient inhabitants.

• When did the first dinosaurs emerge on Earth?

•Are all fossil animals dinosaurs?

• Did people and dinosaurs live at the similar time?

• Where did dinosaurs live?

• Did all the dinosaurs live together, and at the similar time?

• How are dinosaurs named?

• What was the largest dinosaur? What was the smallest?

•How many types of dinosaurs are known?

• Were dinosaurs warm-blooded?

• How long could a dinosaur live?

• What did dinosaurs eat?

• How rapid could dinosaurs walk or run?

• Did dinosaurs communicate?

• Why did some dinosaurs grow so big?

• Which was the smartest dinosaur?

• What colors were dinosaurs?

• Were dinosaurs social animals?

• When did dinosaurs become extinct?

• Why did the dinosaurs die out?