The Dinosaur Essay

There ain’t no Brontosaurus, bonehead^[Pachycephalosaurus]. Or, rather, there was, but then there wasn’t, even if everyone thought there still was. American Natural History Museum signage said so for like nine decades. And then there’s the whole Apatosaurus skull swap debacle at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History^[Camarasaurus]. But then, about a decade ago, someone discovered/decided there really was, in fact, a Brontosaurus. ((Paleontological play-by-play in the podcast “I Know Dino,” “Episode 100: Brontosaurus.” The red herbivore meat starts thirteen minutes in.))So maybe you can’t blame Disney for their madcap 1975 portrayal of 1920’s paleontology in the forgotten not-so-classic, “One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing.” Or maybe you can. Regardless, they get a pass for saddling Dippy^[Diplodocus… and krayt dragon] with the gag name “Brontosaurus Rex.” ((“Brontosaurus Rex, My Ass!” … you know, the porn version.)) That’s only one of many faux pas in their wanton attempt to cash in on…