The discovery of a new Psittacosaurus species from a braincase, how spinosaur brains adapted for eating fish, revisiting T. rex intelligence, and many more dinosaur brain updates

For links to every news story, all of the details we shared about Tatankacephalus, and our fun fact check out https://iknowdino.com/Tatankacephalus-Episode-547/

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Dinosaur of the day Tatankacephalus, the "bison-headed" armored dinosaur.

In dinosaur news this week:

• A skull, including a braincase, is enough to tell us there’s a new Psittacosaurus species, Psittacosaurus houi
• Studying dinosaur brains is an evolving field
• Brain size varied in dinosaurs
• Ceratopsians became less intelligent and had worse hearing and a worse sense of smell as they evolved to larger sizes
• Ornithopods, and especially hadrosaurs, had bigger brains than we thought
• Thescelosaurus had a powerful sense of smell, a sensitive vestibular system, but terrible hearing—all which may mean it was a burrower
• A study of spinosaur brains and skulls helps show how they adapted to eat fish
• Living birds have high EQs which they evolved from non-avian dinosaurs (although we don't really use EQs much anymore)
• Shuvuuia may not have had specialized hearing
• The enantiornithe Navaornis hestiae tells us a lot about bird brains
• Unique brain shape in birds may be why birds survived non-avian dinosaurs after the mass extinction event
• Parrots and humans may use similar brain mechanisms to produce complex sounds
• Bird brains (and our brains) are wired for taking turns when communicating
• T. rex had the intelligence of a baboon paper
• Rebuttal to T. rex baboon intelligence paper

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New support for Troodon as a valid dinosaur genus. Plus Dr. Kenneth Lacovara joins us to discuss the Edelman Fossil Park & Museum, Colossal Biosciences, Dreadnoughtus, Jurassic Park, and more.

For links to every news story, all of the details we shared about Veterupristisaurus, links from Kenneth Lacovara, and our fun fact check out https://iknowdino.com/Veterupristisaurus-Episode-546/

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Dinosaur of the day Veterupristisaurus, a carcharodontosaurid theropod that lived in the Jurassic in what is now Tanzania.

Interview with Dr. Kenneth Lacovara, a paleontologist, professor, explorer, science communicator (a TED speaker and author), Explorer’s Club medalist, and he is the founding dean of the School of Earth & Environment at Rowan University, executive director of the Edelman Fossil Park & Museum, and he serves on the Board of Scientific Advisors for Colossal Biosciences

In dinosaur news this week:

• Is Troodon a legit dinosaur? (these authors say yes)
• Based on their jaw mechanics, troodontids may have been omnivores

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Silesaurs are definitely dinosauromorphs (close relatives of dinosaurs) but were they true dinosaurs?

For links to every news story, all of the details we shared about Planicoxa, and our fun fact check out https://iknowdino.com/Planicoxa-Episode-545/

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Dinosaur of the day Planicoxa, an iguanodont known from its flat hips with a species name that means "poison".

In dinosaur news this week:

• There’s a new silesaurid, Itaguyra occulta, whose name means "Stone Bird" in Tupi—a language from Southern Brazil where it was found
• A new large femur found in Zambia may have been from a 10ft (3m) long silesaur—quite large for the
• Probable silesaur arm and leg bones from the Late Triassic were described from what is now Texas

Our Styracosaurus patch is back for a limited time! Join our patreon at the Silesaurus tier or above by the end of August 2025 to get the exclusive patch. You’ll also get a 30 days of dinosaurs PDF booklet, ebooks, shoutouts, I Know Paleo episodes, and a portion of the proceeds will go to charities supporting paleontology. If you're already a patron at the make sure to update your address so we can send you the patch! patreon.com/iknowdino

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