Latest news with #Velociraptor
Daily Record
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Enjoy the last days of the school holidays at M&D's
For the month of August, families can take advantage of a summer sale which features all day wristbands for just £14.50 if booked online. If you are looking to entertain the family in the run up to the schools returning, then M&D's Scotland's Theme Park has the ideal day out. For the month of August, families can take advantage of a summer sale which features all day wristbands for just £14.50 if booked online. As well as enjoying the Theme Park rides and attractions, visitors can enjoy free daily dinosaur shows until Sunday, August 10, featuring life-like dinosaurs including the star of the show, a Velociraptor along with its adorable babies. The 'How to Train Your Velociraptor' show will take place daily at 12.30pm, 3.30pm and 5pm with special appearances also throughout the day. Visitors can also join the Ranger Academy, an interactive adventure where families work together on tracking, observation and safety missions. At 2pm there will be Ranger Training where participants can learn what it takes to survive amongst the dinos. Jensen Taylor Connelly, M&D's Director, said, 'Once the school uniforms have been purchased there's always a rush to try and make the most of the last few weeks before the schools' return. 'We've introduced this offer to make a day out as affordable as possible. The dinosaur shows are great fun for the wee ones, but we really do have something for everyone at the Theme Park.' Lanarkshire residents can also take advantage of the 247 First Bus Service which will pick up and drop off at various points including Hamilton Bus Station, Motherwell and Bellshill. *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.
National Geographic
29-07-2025
- Science
- National Geographic
Velociraptor's new cousin is a raptor unlike any seen before
Shri rapax had bigger claws and potentially a stronger bite than its Hollywood relative. But paleontologists still don't know the whereabouts of its head, which went missing. The newly named raptor Shri rapax was smuggled by poachers, rescued from the black market, and then, sometime following a CT-scan in 2016, its skull went missing. Photograph by Thierry Hubin, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences Sometime before 2010, in the red sands of Mongolia's Gobi Desert brimming with fossils, poachers excavated and stole the exquisite skeleton of a carnivorous dinosaur. They smuggled the fossil out of the country and onto the black market. It passed through private collections in Japan and England and was eventually acquired by the French fossil company Eldonia. In 2016, one of the fossil's owners had the dinosaur's skull and four vertebrae CT-scanned at a Belgian museum, but sometime later the head and neck went missing. Their whereabouts remain unknown to scientists. Negotiations between the fossil company, paleontologists, and government officials led to the return of the dinosaur's body to Mongolia, where it could be cared for and studied, a raptor unlike any seen before. Now, this headless, extra-sharp relative of Velociraptor finally has a name: Shri rapax. The roughly six-foot-long, turkey-sized dinosaur wandered a prehistoric desert more than 71 million years ago. Like Velociraptor, which was also found in Mongolia, Shri is a dromaeosaur. This predatory dinosaur group includes Deinonychus, Utahraptor, and other feathery carnivores with large, hyperextendable claws on their second toes. "I was so surprised to find such an unexpected dromaeosaur in the same geological setting of the iconic Velociraptor," says Andrea Cau an independent paleontologist from Italy. Cau and his colleagues published a paper on July 13 in the journal Historical Biology describing the new species. The discovery is part of a growing number of raptor-like dinosaurs found in Mongolia, revealing an unexpected diversity of species and body types in this group, such as the goose-necked and slender Halszkaraptor escuilliei and Natovenator polydontus. This cast was created from a CT-scan of the dinosaur's skull that was conducted in 2016. The real fossilized skull's location is still a mystery to scientists. Photograph by Thierry Hubin, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences Shri rapax's claws were larger than the claws that its famous relative, Velociraptor, had on its hands. Photograph by Thierry Hubin, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences Despite its close relationship to the Hollywood-famous Velociraptor, Shri was a very different dinosaur. A cast of its skull, which was made based off the 2016 CT-scan as the actual fossil skull is still missing, indicates Shri had a deeper and shorter snout. The finding hints that this raptor had a stronger bite than its relative. "Other differences, such as a relatively short snout, proportionally long neck, and short tail indicate that these two relatives had different ecological preferences," says Tsogtbaatar Chinzorig, a paleontologist at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and a coauthor of the study. Its arm bones are more robust and stockier, tipped with large, curved claws. It also had stout hands that imply a strong grip. Precisely how Shri used its arms and claws is unclear, though the researchers suggest it may have grappled with and grasped other dinosaurs like the horned herbivore Protoceratops. Bitten Protoceratops bones and a famous fossil of Velociraptor and Protoceratops locked in fossil combat, called the "Fighting Dinosaurs," hint that the pig-like horned dinosaurs were prey for dromaeosaurs like Shri. Michael Pittman, a paleontologist at the Chinese University of Hong Kong who was not involved in the research, says the authors' hypothesis is reasonable, and that biomechanical studies of the dinosaur's arms can potentially test the idea. He also calls the specimen, "beautiful and well-preserved." The likelihood Shri rapax and Velociraptor lived alongside each other points to a phenomenon called "niche partitioning." Closely related species can sometimes share the same landscape when they have different dietary preferences and behaviors, like how the island of Madagascar hosts many different lemur species that live in different habitats and eat different foods. Evolving different specializations allow related animals to divide habitats in different ways, boosting biodiversity. In the case of the dinosaurs, the anatomical differences between Shri and Velociraptor indicate that the carnivores were likely also part of such an ecological interplay. Returning Shri rapax home Because Shri's skeleton was poached and sold with no geological information, paleontologists are unsure exactly from where the dinosaur was excavated, beyond its clear origin from Mongolia's Djadokhta Formation. The fact that scientists have been able to study, describe, and begin to understand Shri rapax is a victory for paleontology and an effort to push back against black market fossil dealings. "This case highlights yet another instance of fossil poaching," Chinzorig says, "part of a long-standing pattern of illegal smuggling of fossils from the Mongolian Gobi over the decades." It's essential that such fossils are returned, Chinzorig says, both to build scientific knowledge about the prehistoric past and to respect Mongolia's fossil heritage. If the smuggled fossil had remained in private hands, scientists would not know this new dinosaur, its relationships, or anything about the role it played in its prehistoric ecosystem. "Scientific value aside," Cau adds, "I am really happy to give some help in returning these dinosaurs home." And by introducing Shri rapax to the world, the paleontologists may, with luck, help return its missing head home.
New Straits Times
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: 'Jurassic World: Rebirth' rumbles, but doesn't quite roar
SO, the dinosaurs are back. Again. And if you're anything like me, your inner child (or just the part of you that still secretly wishes for a pet Velociraptor) probably did a little happy dance when 'Jurassic World: Rebirth' first splashed across the screens. Directed by the visually astute Gareth Edwards, whose previous works have always promised a cinematic spectacle, this latest entry into the prehistoric monster mash aimed to, well, re-birth the magic. Did it succeed? Sort of, if you squint and have a generous imagination. Let's get straight to it: the good news is, if you're heading to the cinema for one thing and one thing only – big, stomping, toothy dinosaurs – then 'Rebirth' delivers on the CGI front. Edwards has a knack for making these ancient beasts look genuinely menacing and awe-inspiring, especially when they're caught in tense, shadowy close-ups or tearing through the jungle. The visual feast is undeniable, and on a giant screen, the sheer scale of it all is, frankly, thrilling. There's a particular sequence involving a rather unamused T-Rex and a makeshift raft that had me clutching my popcorn. Pure, unadulterated Jurassic fun for a few glorious minutes. But – and you knew there was a "but", didn't you? – beyond the visual razzle-dazzle, 'Rebirth' feels less like a fresh start and more like a gentle, albeit well-intended, re-tread. The storyline, unfortunately, is as thin as a single strand of ancient mosquito DNA. We've got new characters – a rather charming Scarlett Johansson and a surprisingly enthusiastic Jonathan Bailey as the paleontologist Dr Loomis (who, bless him, tries his best to inject some much-needed life into the proceedings) – embarking on a mission to, wait for it, collect dinosaur DNA. For a heart disease cure. Yes, you read that right. While it's a novel enough premise, it often feels like a rather flimsy excuse to get our protagonists into ever-increasing peril. One of the biggest gripes was the pacing. The film starts off at a leisurely, almost plodding, pace. A significant chunk of the first act is spent on a boat, and while I appreciate a good build-up, this felt more like a gentle cruise than a tension-filled expedition. Then, just as you start to wonder if anyone will ever get eaten, the film suddenly slams on the accelerator in the final act, rushing through what could have been genuinely thrilling set pieces. And the new dinosaurs? The much-hyped "mutated" D-Rex and Mutadons, while visually impressive, felt a tad generic. They roar, they chase, they look scary – but they lack the distinct personality and terrifying ingenuity of the franchise's earlier, more iconic monsters. It's hard to feel genuine dread when the villainous creatures feel like, well, just another CGI monster. So, is 'Jurassic World Rebirth' worth making a trip to the cinema? If you're a die-hard fan desperate for a dinosaur fix on the biggest screen possible, and you're willing to overlook a familiar plot and some uneven pacing, then yes, the visual spectacle alone might justify the excursion. But if you're hoping for a genuinely fresh, innovative, or deeply engaging chapter in the Jurassic saga, you might find yourself wishing for a bit more roar and a little less whimper. It's entertaining enough for a popcorn flick, but don't expect a rebirth of the franchise's golden age. This movie would certainly appeal more to kids than to older mammals out to scratch their cinematic itch. NOW SHOWING JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH STARRING Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Luna Blaise, David Iacono, Audrina Miranda, Philippine Velge, Bechir Sylvain, Ed Skrein DURATION: 134 mins CLASSIFICATION: 13
The Herald Scotland
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Jurassic Lanark: Adventure and thrills millions of years in the making
The centrepiece, the Monster Trail, winds through the town centre and Castlebank Park, where explorers come face-to-face with ferocious carnivores such as Tyrannosaurus Rex, Spinosaurus and Velociraptor, as well as the gentle giants Triceratops and Brachiosaurus. Younger adventurers can also tackle the Mini Trail, a bite-sized route past town shop windows hiding dinosaur clues. Participants completing the trails earn the coveted Jurassic Lanark Badge, marking them a certified dinosaur hunter. They can also enter a Prize Draw to win a Bumper Dino Bundle packed with goodies by returning their completed map when collecting their badges at the town's Tolbooth. 'This is the fifth Jurassic Lanark event and each has been timed perfectly for the school summer holidays,' says Discover Lanark Manager Antonia Pompa. 'We wanted to offer a fun trail where we can create scenes in some of the smaller spaces around our local streets. There is something quite magical about seeing dinosaurs so out of context – you certainly don't expect to see them in the town centre. 'The second part of our Monster Trail is in Castlebank Park where you might expect to find activities such as this. It's a lovely park with a picnic area, Fairy Dell and play area, and certainly adds a lot to the event.' Participants can pick up their free trail map at the Tolbooth Lanark (ML11 7EX), open daily from 10am to 5pm. Volunteers are on hand to offer helpful tips and route advice. Digital trail maps are also available for download, allowing adventurers to plan their expedition in advance. Each Saturday and Sunday, from 11am to 3pm, Castlebank Park is the place for youngsters to meet baby dinos Trixie and Tom and have their photo taken with Roary the mascot. Storytelling and games are all part of the free activity programme. 'There is something about dinosaurs that fascinates children,' says Antonia. 'They are so knowledgeable about them at a young age and I'm astounded by youngsters who can name all the dinosaurs. Let's be honest: they're not names that trip off the tongue. 'Children really get something out of finding out more. The timing of the Jurassic World Rebirth movie is just good luck but it's nice to have it out there. There are also the BBC programmes so people are really interested in dinosaurs and learning more about them.' Antonia notes the physical reality of Lanark's dinosaurs takes them beyond the screen for youngsters. 'Children are really excited by them. Sometimes they're really surprised by the animatronic ones – they don't expect to be growled at but it's also the sheer size of the models that bring them to life.' Last year no fewer than 6,500 trail maps were handed out and this year the event looks to be just as popular. 'It's a slightly weather dependent event because the majority of it is outdoors and it's more enjoyable to stop and look at things and read the information on the signs when the weather is good,' says Antonia. 'But there are plenty of dinosaur hunters who have arrived with their wet weather gear. There are often dinosaurs on the children's clothes and that's just brilliant to see. They really do enter into the spirit of it.' As Lanark is a Business Improvement District, it's hoped the event will also encourage visitors to discover more of what the town has to offer. 'This is a free event but we hope people will pop into our cafés and shops and make some purchases,' says Antonia. 'Some of the businesses, particularly the charity shops, save up all their dinosaur goodies and pop them out on display – it's really nice to see people going in and coming out with little mementos of their day.' So, whether you're a budding palaeontologist or just up for summer fun with a big difference, pack your explorer hat and grab a trail map before Lanark's dinosaurs find you first! Click here for more details
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Free Pair of Wristbands to M&D's Scotland's Theme Park worth £51.50
We've teamed up with M&D's Scotland's Theme Park to give every reader two FREE wristbands. Take up this offer and you will enjoy a fun family day out. That's not all - you can step back in time with a Jurassic adventure into the world of dinosaurs. Featuring a host of life-like dinosaurs including a Velociraptor and its adorable babies, the Theme Park will host free family interactive daily shows plus you will have the chance to meet the prehistoric mammals. From now until 10 August 2025 the exclusive 'How to Train Your Velociraptor' free show will take place daily at 12.30pm, 3.30pm and 5pm. Step into a world where prehistoric creatures come to life and YOU become the Ranger in charge at 2pm! READ MORE: Total Wipeout style inflatable course arrives at North East pool and it's not just for kids READ MORE: Famous Newcastle shop to shut down after decades as new 'super' store gets opening date Located next to Strathclyde Country Park, M&D's is one of Scotland's top visitor attractions. How to Claim Pick up a copy of the Chronicle or Journal from Monday, July 14 until Sunday, July 20 inside you'll find a voucher to bring with you to M&D's Scotland's Theme Park! The Theme Park features thrill rides and family rides, as well as a host of activities, for all age groups. Special features include Amazonia, an indoor tropical rainforest with exotic animals and plants, Devil's Island Adventure Golf, Cosmic Bowl, a ten-pin bowling alley, and Krazy Congo Soft Play. There are also many food outlets to enjoy, from snacks to restaurant meals, including the award winning American themed diner Monterey Jack's. Car parking and entry into the Theme Park is free. Further information is available from Terms and conditions: 1. The voucher is for two free 'ride all day' wristbands only on the following dates: 4th - 10th August 2025. The offer is valid only for the dates specified. 2. This offer is running on Chronicle Live only. 3 To enter the promotion you will need to fill in your name and email address. Please check your junk email for your code to use at the theme park, you must move your email to your inbox immediately to avoid deletion of your email which is automatically deleted from your junk/spam email after 30 days. 4. All entrants are limited to one pair of tickets per customer. You cannot enter more than once. A valid email address is required to enter the promotion and to redeem the event tickets. 5. The price of one 'ride all day' wristband is £25.75. 6. This offer is not valid in conjunction with any other offer. 7. Height restrictions apply. 8. Wristband does not include coin operated prize winning games, specialist rides and attractions. 9. Original copies only no photocopies will be accepted. 10. Normal Theme Park Terms & Conditions apply visit for further details. 11. There is the option to subscribe to newsletters, this is not mandatory and where you do not subscribe, your information will only be used for entry into the promotion and the event and will not be used for marketing purposes. 12. The offer is as stated and does not include travel, expenses or parking and you must make your own travel arrangements. There is no cash alternative to this offer, tickets are not for resale. 13. Once redeemed, the all-day wristband cannot be exchanged for alternative events or dates. All wristbands are not valid for resale, leasing or lending and there will be no cash back alternative. 14. Your data privacy is very important to us. The data you provide upon requesting tickets (full name and email) will only be shared with M&Ds Scotland's Theme Park in order to complete your booking. Standard Reach privacy policy applies. For more information click here.
