I'm sure that everyone reading this blog that hears the word "Dinosaur" immediately thinks about the legendary dinosaur called "Tyrannosaurus Rex." Tyrannosaurus Rex or better known as "T-Rex" has shown up in every major "Science and History" museum this side of Mars! The fact is that T-Rex is only one of many hundreds of species.

Approximately 700 species have been named. However, a recent scientific review suggests that only about half of these are based on fairly complete specimens that can be shown to be unique and separate species. These species are placed in about 300 valid dinosaur genera (Stegosaurus, Diplodocus, etc.), although about 540 have been named. Recent estimates suggest that about 700 to 900 more dinosaur genera may remain to be discovered.

Arguably 4 of the most common are:

TYRANNOSAURUS
Pronunciation: (tye-RAN-uh-SAWR-us)
Translation: Tyrant Lizard

One of the largest-ever flesh-eating land animals, Tyrannosaurus is also the most famous. For example, it has been featured in more movies than any other single dinosaur. Tyrannosaurus had a huge skull with powerful jaws lined with 7-inch (18-cm) serrated teeth. Contrary to earlier conceptions of sluggish mobility, Tyrannosaurus is now thought by some to have been capable of bursts of up to 30 mph (48 km/h). In contrast to its massive legs, Tyrannosaurus had relatively short, small arms. Although they seem vestigal and useless, they were powerful enough to lift over 450 pounds (270 kg). Tyrannosaurus was found in North America and Asia. The most famous species is Tyrannosaurus rex from North America; Tyrannosaurus bataar from Asia was formerly known as Tarbosaurus.

VELOCIRAPTOR
Pronunciation: (veh-loss-ih-RAP-tor)
Translation: Quick Plunderer or Rapid Robber

Found in Mongolia, China and Russia, Velociraptor was a ferocious predator with the second toe of each foot bearing a formidably large, retractable claw. Velociraptor was similar in appearance to the larger Deinonychus and the much larger Utahraptor. Like Deinonychus and possibly Utahraptor, it may have hunted in packs -- although Velociraptor and Utahraptor fossils have never been found in groups like Deinonychus. Velociraptor was not as fast as a cheetah, nor as smart as a chimpanzee, as suggested in the movie Jurassic Park.

TRICERATOPS
Pronunciation: (try-SAIR-uh-tops)
Translation: Three-horned Face

Found in Montana, South Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming, and Canada, Triceratops was the largest, heaviest, most common and best-known ceratopsian. Sixteen species have been assigned to Triceratops, although some scientists believe that only one species exists, and that the variations found between ceratopsian horns are similar to those found in modern horned animals such as cows. Its massive head had a deep, narrow, parrot-like beak with brow horns 3 feet (0.9 meters) long, and its frill could reach widths of 7 feet (2.5 meters).

Flying Dinosaurs
People familiar with Pterodactylus (tehr-o-DAK-til-us) and Pteranodon (teh-RAN-o-dahn)The more common of the two is the “Pteranodon.” You might wonder why they cannot be found in the Dinosaur Bios. The reason is that pterosaurs (to give them their group name) were not dinosaurs, although they were related to them; they were flying reptiles.

Think I'm joking?

"Jurassic Park" built on the idea of extracting DNA from the bellies of mosquitoes preserved in amber. While this might seem possible at first glance, it's highly unlikely that scientists could find usable dinosaur DNA in mosquito fossils. Scientists would need a very specific specimen -- a female mosquito that had consumed lots of dinosaur blood immediately before landing in tree resin. Since fossilization in amber is a relatively rare event, the chances of this happening are pretty small.

The lack of possible specimens isn't the only problem. Most insect fossils found in amber are also too young to contain dinosaur blood -- dinosaurs were extinct by the time the insects became trapped. Many insects decay from the inside out after they're trapped, leaving nothing inside for scientists to try to extract. Finally, the sample would have to be very dry, since DNA can break down quickly in the presence of water.

But if researchers did find a perfectly preserved mosquito with a body full of dinosaur blood, retrieving its DNA would still be difficult. The blood with the dinosaur DNA would be surrounded by the body of an insect, which has its own DNA. There could also be DNA from other cells trapped in the amber, which could contaminate the sample. Then, of course, there's the DNA in the laboratory itself -- and in the body of the scientist doing the extraction.

the most common form of cloning used on animals today involves "nuclear transfer." Scientists put the nucleus of one cell into a second cell of the same species after destroying the second cell's nucleus. There are no dinosaur cells or dinosaur eggs that could host new set of DNA. Researchers would have to find a different way to let the DNA grow into a living dinosaur.

So the "Jurassic Park" method is out -- but are there other ways to bring dinosaurs to life?

Watch the video below!