Paleontology: Theropod Dinosaurs and the Origin of Birds is a five-lesson course teaching a comprehensive overview of the origins of birds. This course examines the anatomy, diversity, and evolution of theropod dinosaurs in relation to the origin of birds. Students explore various hypotheses for the origin of flight. Watch a preview of the course here: https://uofa.ualberta.ca/courses/paleontology-theropod-dinosaurs
Paleontology: Theropod Dinosaurs and the Origin of Birds
proposé par
Université de l'Alberta
Programme du cours : ce que vous apprendrez dans ce cours
Semaine
1Bird Anatomy
In Lesson 1, we explore the anatomy and adaptations of birds, and meet the Victorian scientists who first suspected the link between the terrible lizards and modern birds. In order to fly, birds have undergone a series of anatomical specializations that distinguishes them from other vertebrates. However, many of the most striking and anatomically unusual traits of birds originated over 230 million years ago with the very first theropod dinosaurs. Just a quick note before you get started: 'Palaios' is the Greek word for 'ancient', so palaeontology or paleontology is the study of ancient life. Both spellings are correct, with palaeontology used in Britain, and paleontology more common in the US.
3 vidéos (Total 37 min), 6 lectures, 1 quiz
3 vidéos
Course Preview Video2 min
1.1 The Link Between Birds and Dinosaurs15 min
1.2 Bird Anatomy19 min
6 lectures
Instructional Staff10 min
Meet Your Presenter: Scott Persons10 min
Course Glossary10 min
Acknowledgements10 min
Interactive Learning Objects10 min
Lesson 1 Course Notes10 min
1 exercice pour s'entraîner
Module 1 Assessment (Graded)10 min
Semaine
2Survey of Non-Avian Theropods
In the wake of the Permian mass extinction, the prehistoric world was ripe for the taking. All the world’s landmass was consolidated into the single supercontinent: Pangaea. With no seas standing in their way, new terrestrial animal lineages were able to exploit new habitats all across the globe. Archosaurs, meaning ‘ruling reptiles’, came to dominate Triassic ecosystems. However, dinosaurian archosaurs were not the top predators. Instead, crurotarsans sat undisputed at the top of the food chain. The first theropods were small, but agile carnivores, and although they started out as the Darwinian equivalent of the mail room clerks, by the next geological period (the Jurassic), they were large and in charge. In Lesson 2, we will introduce you to some of the earliest theropods, and explore the anatomical secrets to their survival and eventual success. We will also meet the largest land predators of all time.
3 vidéos (Total 44 min), 1 lecture, 1 quiz
1 lecture
Lesson 2 Course Notes10 min
1 exercice pour s'entraîner
Module 2 Assessment (Graded)10 min
Semaine
3Coelurosaurs I
In the previous lesson, we explored how the various theropod lineages adapted to their role as apex predators. In this lesson, we will explore a new group of theropods, as much characterized by their speed and agility as their predatory prowess. The coelurosaurs were the most successful and diverse of all the theropods, and included herbivores, the smallest of all dinosaurs, and, of course, the mighty tyrannosaurs.
4 vidéos (Total 73 min), 1 lecture, 1 quiz
4 vidéos
3.1 Early Coelurosaurs - Part 216 min
3.1 Early Coelurosaurs - Part 314 min
3.2 Bird-Like Traits in Coelurosaurs21 min
1 lecture
Lesson 3 Course Notes10 min
1 exercice pour s'entraîner
Module 3 Assessment (Graded)10 min
Semaine
4Coelurosaurs II
Dinosaurs had long been thought of as overgrown reptiles; cold blooded, swamp bound, with meagre intelligence and little to no social complexity. The ‘Dinosaur Renaissance’ was a revolution in palaeontological thinking that entirely transformed that traditional image of dinosaurs. In Lesson 4, we will see how new research and discoveries over the past fifty years have shaped our modern image of dinosaurs into one of energetic, intelligent animals, that likely displayed many of the complex social behaviours witnessed in modern birds. You’ll also meet the deinonychosaurs, A.K.A. ‘the raptors’, and you will learn the leading theories for how one group of dinosaurs learned to fly.
3 vidéos (Total 60 min), 1 lecture, 1 quiz
3 vidéos
4.2 Bird-Like Characteristics - Part 115 min
4.2 Bird-Like Characteristics - Part 218 min
1 lecture
Lesson 4 Course Notes10 min
1 exercice pour s'entraîner
Module 4 Assessment (Graded)10 min
4.9
190 avis33%
a bénéficié d'un avantage concret dans sa carrière grâce à ce cours
Meilleurs avis
par MC•Mar 15th 2018
This course was great! It explains everything clearly, and it keeps you involved by asking questions about the material, and keeps you amused with some interesting anecdotes. Highly suggested by me!
par JC•Aug 22nd 2017
I loved this course. It was informative, easy to understand, and exciting. The lecturer's knowledge and passion shone through in the lectures, and the course notes were a great supplement too.
Enseignant
Philip John Currie, Ph.D
Professor and Canada Research Chair, Dinosaur PaleobiologyDepartment of Biological Sciences
À propos de Université de l'Alberta
UAlberta is considered among the world’s leading public research- and teaching-intensive universities. As one of Canada’s top universities, we’re known for excellence across the humanities, sciences, creative arts, business, engineering and health sciences.
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