Meet Dracula - The Largest Pterosaur That Ever Flew? | BoneHeads in Germany (Part 2)

The palaeontological importance of Germany is world-famous and includes sites such as the Messel Pit, Solnhofen, the Posidonia Shale, and much more! Join the BoneHeads crew on their field trip around this amazing country, and visit a museum housing an impressive reconstruction of what may be one of the largest flying animals ever!
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Sources:
peerj.com/articles/4191/
www.researchgate.net/publicat...
peerj.com/articles/13173/
journals.plos.org/plosone/art...
www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073...
www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/12/4/158
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/...
0:00 - Introduction
1:24 - Fossil hunting in the Solnhofen Limestone
7:38 - Visiting the Solnhofen Museum
15:05 - Visiting Dinosaurier Museum Altmühltal
16:08 - The Dinosaur Park
24:13 - 'Little Al' and other amazing fossils
28:44 - Meeting Dracula
31:36 - Going eye level with a T. rex!
38:39 - Behind the scenes at Stuttgart Natural History Museum
45:35 - Outro

[@pyrografix]

At 65 yrs old, I have been a dinosaur fanatic all my life. I can't really walk without assistance anymore so seeing your tour of the museums and dinosaur park was a tremendous vicarious experience for me! Please do more museum tours! I love to see the incredible fossils that you showcase that I wouldn't likely be able to see in person.

[@BeautyKhaleesi]

I love this for you! I went into behavior and skin therapy but I always wanted to be a paleontologist but thanks to amazing fo,is on KZbin I can keep up with this field of study in my limited spare time

[@DanGamingFan2846]

Boneheads are back, baby! It's so cool and terrifying imagining such a huge animal ruling the skies.

[@theothertonydutch]

I find the current animal that rules the sky a lot more terrifying.

[@sawney_bean]

Pre deluvian devils !!

[@SmashBrosAssemble]

Dracula the Hatzegopteryx

[@SCR_ProductionsYT]

Real & true

[@rameybutler-hm7nx]

Not to seem any more ignorant than i am but, did it have feathers? Dinosaurs who dont fly have feathers but it doesnt?

[@SmashBrosAssemble]

@@rameybutler-hm7nx Yes, Pterosaurs had feathers/filaments.

[@dunkelklinge]

This is such a good series. I visited the Senckenberg Museum last year just a few days before you guys uploaded you video on the Psittacosaurus skeleton there. I also saw the original Archaeopteryx in Berlin last year. It’s always great seeing these famous fossils in person.

[@user-gw4rz7mk7q]

If I ever get to Germany, I have to see those museums. Great video.

[@jfu5222]

Archaeopteryx has been my favorite dinosaur since childhood, it must have been an amazing experience to visit Solnhofen. I was in school before there was a consensus that dinosaurs and birds were closely related, I am continually amazed that when I watch birds flittering around I'm actually looking at tiny dinosaurs. I live on the Mississippi River Flyway in St. Paul, Minnesota and I can hardly wait for the multitude of migratory birds to pass through in the next few weeks. Thanks to everyone in the 7DOS and Ben G Thomas crew!

[@Geniusprimate]

Birds are my favorite dinosaurs

[@zarinaromanets7290]

These are amazing and very well narrated and edited. Thank you for sharing an adventure most of us don't have the opportunity to go on and letting us live vicariously through the boneheads! 🦖

[@MintySweetea]

We got Dracula Flow, now we have Dracula Fly What a time to be alive

[@yonghwanchoi4212]

It is probably a big Hatzegopteryx.

[@RealDuendeNoFake]

he's smoking that prehistoric zaza, unfortunately it put him in a state of fossilization

[@TheCreativeNick]

The boneheads are back!

[@napalmholocaust9093]

Weird hooked turtle jaw is right. The hook usually comes from the beak, and the jaw itself it just triangular.

[@kearsargeyt8848]

Up next we need the Gurlin Tsav Azhdarchid aka the Mongol Giant

[@thelittleal1212]

Oh cool, I was also in altmühltal at a dinosaur park, back when I still lived in Germany

[@jacksonhiatt4174]

Glad you guys had such a good time, and as always, thank you for expanding our view of the past. I hope to one day see you featured in documentaries like the ones we all grew up with. One bit I was a little confused on, was a thought of trex on trex bone indentation being from play. I know dinosaurs are extreme but that seems to go beyond any reasonable degree of rough housing?

[@S-T-E-V-E]

Wow that Museum is awesome!

[@KrisPSouls9258]

It's exciting looking for fossils. Not knowing what you might find. Even just finding small fish and shells never gets old.

[@edwardspencer3906]

Your channel is So accessible for the "uninitiated" to paleontology! Informed and Very Entertaining without sacrificing your sincere Love of the subject..BTW knew Germany had some Great finds but, No Idea they were so varied.. Thank You for All the Effort!

[@lukeskywalkerjediknight2.013]

Rocky the new name of the Tinker specimen

[@VaultBoy1776]

Always interesting and humorous content. Thank you!

[@williamdavies1373]

You know I did the exact same trip last year, with my Paleontology class at the University of Portsmouth.

[@mellissadalby1402]

When I was jusrt a wee little kid, the Diplodocus was always my favorite, Dimetrodon 2nd favorite.

[@franz6595]

1:18 yeahy this is where I live :D

[@kR-qj7rw]

NEW BONEHEADS LETS GO

[@nilsmuninsheim4279]

Love to see that you enjoyed your field trip to Germany. And please don't worry. Your pronounciation of our linguistic bulwarks is really fine and actually charming.

[@jamieorc]

Fantastic! Thanks for sharing. Some amazing stuff.

[@Aramintava]

Loved both of the German episodes. The natural history museum sounds like a great place to visit next.

[@hugotavaresgomes9539]

35:30 that apex predator would never guess some apes would mock him millions of years later.

[@MissChanandlerBong1]

Absolutely fascinating. Brilliant.

[@brucemibus9523]

What a great set of fossils and reconstructions! Makes me want to go there!

[@AlecFlackie]

You seem to have had a fantastic expedition and I am so jealous. What a great bunch of friends with a shared interest. You can't have too many 'very good gift shops'.

[@faolitaruna]

What a remarkable expedition!

[@CurlyTV406]

This guy on the Forklift isnt just a staff of the Museum :D his Name is Michael Völker and he is the owner of the Park :D

[@NilasJunkyard]

I need to visit this site. I love digging for fossils.

[@googledrivetutorials7048]

Beautifull Video, I would love to visit those sites, just like you did!

[@mbvoelker8448]

You are the very coolest possible museum guides!

[@tyranitararmaldo]

I swear EVERY time I went to one of these sorts of dinosaur parks, the weather was awful. So many walks through rainy forests.

[@tonyhaslam186]

Thank you for sharing.

[@hollyodii5969]

Phenomenal episode! Makes me want to hop on a plane to Germany 🇩🇪 asap! Thanks for the education!

[@user-bc6wi6zy3k]

Very nice specimen on your left in the group shot Ben. MB

[@AntoniusTyas]

Hamzah is so enthusiastic when it comes to thalattosuchians, maybe one day he should consider making a more detailed video discussing thalattosuchians, they're some of the most fascinating member of crocodylomorphs. And also one of the scariest, in the case of _Dakosaurus maximus_ and _Plesiosuchus manselli_

[@nathanwinterbone1919]

I remember bumping into you guys at the Altmühltal museum in May, been cool to see what else you got up to on your trip

[@benmcreynolds8581]

I WISH we had a place like this near me here in Oregon. Those are some of the coolest display models for a outdoors exhibit. Then the indoors collection is such well displayed fossils. What an amazing museum & place in general. *We have "the enchanted forest" near where I live but nothing like this. I really like how they had models from all types of different eras.

[@kayneahnung3661]

This is pretty cool :-) I do live about 20min from the Dinosaur Museum Altmühltal, and I know the people in your Video - also I remember when Rocky arrived in Denkendorf :-) So cool to see something thats so close to get attention from you 😀

[@patriciasmith6992]

Thanks!

[@cooscoe]

I don't know the stories behind Darminius so I will be anticipating that video.

[@alfredlaalpacadeageofempir9215]

Does partake in very enthusiastic walks?

[@drakusmerus]

Yoo no way you meet Dr. Nizar love his work

[@champenhimself]

Just found the channel. Absolutely love it! But please get a gimbal ❤️

[@DerErwinderErwin]

Damn, I was in both Solnhofen and the Altmühltal museum just a few days ago, by my luck I must have narrowly missed you guys xD

[@DAYBROK3]

so have you guys ever heard of the Royal Tyrell museum? here in alberta canada? its right in the bone beds.

[@pa5287]

great

[@guillaumebabey4484]

If you like dinosaur parks, I strongly recommend the Prehisto-Park in Réclère, Swiss Jura. The sculpts were made decades ago so it probably doesn't hold up to scientific scrutiny but they are admitedly more refined than the ones shown here.

[@flioink]

I wonder how many of the uncovered(as in without any lid or protective glass)specimen are real if any. My guess is that majority are copies because why risk a priceless specimen?

[@kR-qj7rw]

It should be casts tbh exposing fossils like that is just asking for disaster

[@naiyang888]

Cool!

[@paleosanti]

SO COOL

[@AifDaimon]

right before the 1st hour notification squad closes.. whew

[@Deebz270]

Ben seems to have some doubt as to what the forelimbs of the ichthyosaur might be used for... He even seemed confused on the purpose of the similar pectoral fins of modern cetaceans ... I would say, these were simply evolved 'hydro-planes' - as we see in most aquatic vertebrates with fin structures, each appendage would have evolved some mechanical purpose. Even humans, arguably the least adapted to the aquatic environment will use its forelimbs for directional stability and augmented propulsion when swimming or treading water... Hydroplanes of course are the control surfaces of submarines and control the attitude and depth of the vessel. Likewise, the pectoral fins of ichthyosaur were likely similar adaptations, now evident in modern cetaceans and most aquatic vertebrate fauna.

[@tigdogsbody]

Sir, you know your geology. Are geology courses part of your degree program? Fun stuff, Ben.

[@darthplagueis13]

I doubt you can study paleontology without the geology. If you're interested in things that are embedded in rock, learning a thing or two about rocks is simply a must.

[@kendallguier1378]

If this was in America you wouldn't be allowed to get within 10 ft of that

[@wolfdog7265]

I think this was an exception. I guess they don’t get visited often by a group of enthusiastic students studying to get into of the same line of work. The older generations seem to love that. And rightfully so.

[@evanklose8440]

Bro just casually meets Nizar Ibrahim and doesn't ask 15,000 questions about Spinosaurus

[@Artsy.Journeys]

I am sooooo jealous, y'all. Those museums look fantastic!! Very eager for the next video! But I have NO clue what to recommend as far as museums or anything of that nature. I'm a Utahn - an American, and I have not had the opportunity to visit many museums. The one that I have frequented often - and is thus far my favorite - is the Museum of Ancient Life in Lehi. It has TWO Tyrannosaurus Rex specimens - most likely casts - and I'm not sure which animal they used - Steven or Stan, but DEFINITELY not Sue; she's too huge. Regardless, it might be small but it is a lot of fun to visit. I would like to visit the - I think, anyway - what is the . . . . oh my gosh, I just went blank. But I think it's the 'Smithsonian' equivalent at the University of Utah. I need to go back there sometime. I think I've been there once and it had a really nice Allosaurus. That said, always fun to watch these. You kiddos are so cute in all your 'nerdiness' with these animals. And I am also quite jealous you were able to get so close to a young Tyrannosaurus. He was beautiful! Wouldn't be so fantastic to FINALLY see one of those big beauties alive and in person!!!! Wow.....just imagine it....soooo many questions would be answered.

[@Iammrspickley]

One place I have to visit soon.... I guess that quarry is not publicly accessible?

[@SenorTucano]

Azdarchid death storks!

[@veryunusual126]

Guys, you MUST go to berlin's natural history museum, the brachiosaurus there is unbelievable!!

[@jonathanparker2369]

I was an army brat there for ten years, it wouldn’t be uncommon for me to roam as a kid and come back with fossils. My micrasters are my most precious childhood treasures.😂

[@allmachtsdaggl5109]

having grown up near Stuttgart, you can imagine how much money my parents had to spend on entry fees for the Museums there. :D

[@WaterShowsProd]

Come to Thailand to visit the fossil sites in The Northeast which have unearthed some unique species, and visit the botanical gardens filled with life-size dinosaur models. There's also a prestigious university in the middle of Bangkok that has some dinosaur models tucked away among its green campus.

[@GenghisDon1970]

It would be a very different, less urban, trip, but Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, Dinosaur Provincial Park & all else in Alberta, Canada. Perhaps a mix of the south African trip with your recent, very cool, German one

[@coocanoot1]

I really enjoyed this video, but I have to complain because for at least the first half the camera work was pretty shaky and it was really hard for my eyes to focus on what was being shown. I think you just need a gimble or some sort of stabilizer... But otherwise, great video, love your content!

[@williamchamberlain2263]

True - also a slightly slower panning rate

[@LaurenWalravens]

Great Video! There's a channel called 'J' who has a great video on Dracula.

[@DAVIDPETERS12C]

You might want to start calling them 'the Solnhofen birds' because the various 'Archaeopteryx' specimens are not conspecific and some are not congeneric. The fish + Rhamphorhynchus is not the result of impaling, but of suffocation. The dead pterosaur drifted to the anoxic bottom waters where the fish was drawn to its death by the odor of decaying flesh. The largest pterosaurs were flightless. They became large because their smaller ancestors were flightless, as in birds.

[@DAVIDPETERS12C]

The pterosaur @28:28 is the Painten pterosaur (private collectiion). It nests at the base of the Pterodactylus clade. The pterodactyloid grade was achieved by pterosaurs 5 times, not just once. So the traditional clade, "Pterodactyloidea" is invalid. The skeleton of 'Dracula', as explained in the video, is largely imaginary = restoration.

[@bryanrussell6679]

The skeletal structure of the legs and tail look very much like the alien creature in the Alien movies.

[@jurassicjustin4960]

Enjoy this series. I always wanted to be a paleontologist but sadly the cost of going back to college would be too great, but someday I intend to dig myself. I got in trouble in 4th grade because while on the play ground my friends and I dug a huge hole because we found shell and fish fossils in the central US. Oops.

[@jrgnc1]

It would have been nice to see the full view of the Pterosaur. Camera guy needs to think about those things.

[@JohnDoe-ek9ng]

30 seconds post upload let's goooo

[@patreekotime4578]

Boneheads! Boneheads! Breakin' rocks! Doin' science! Havin' chats! Boneheads! Boneheads!

[@hugotavaresgomes9539]

09:50 looks like my great great great great…(x1.0000) grandfather.

[@basmca1]

Hi Ben. I live in The Netherlands and my girlfriend loves the idea of looking for fossils and finding them herself. I would love to take her here as a suprise weekend away, but i don't really know where to go exactly what is allowed and what isn't. It would be really cool if you can answer a few questions. Does this spot have a specific name i can find on Google? Do i need to pay/book/reserve anything to go there? Would a simple chisel hammer be good enough to go to work?

[@markusmuller7362]

Just search for "Naturpark Altmühltal Fosilliensuche" or alternatively "Fossilienfundstellen Schwäbische Alb." There are official websites ("Naturpark Altmuehlheim" and "Schwaebische Alb") but KZbin doesn't like links in the comments. I tried, but now my first answer is gone. You have to pay at most of this places. There are few with free admission. The prices are around 3-10€. You can find the details on every provider on both websites. (address,opening time, price...)

[@TrungNguyen-du9cn]

My fav Boneheads…. 👍

[@CurlyTV406]

Hey :) This is just 50kilometres away from where i live :)

[@BriannaEnright]

I would kill to be that close to a place like this!

[@Shaden0040]

I hope you got to see the luggage!

[@anthonyterlizzi2405]

I wonder which of these marine reptiles would've been most dangerous to swim with. I'm sure some would've been harmless like dolphins, & some would've been sketchy like crocs & sharks

[@mhdfrb9971]

Hatzegopteryx fossil should be in Romania!

[@seretith3513]

I can't judge Munich cuz we in Germany call it München (Muenchen)

[@jacquesjtheripper5922]

Too bad the war destroyed some rare fossils.

[@Khultan]

Fleshed out replicas should be made to stand by their ancient skeletal counterpart.

[@Voxo-foxo]

BONEEZOIDZ

[@lizardKingCDXX]

Beak Things!

[@LanceHall]

So jealous.

[@mintybadger6905]

The only dinosaur museum we have in middle Florida is Dinosaur World. The comparisons are pitiful.

[@SenorTucano]

Ben it’s pronounced Archaeo-pteryx not Arche-op-teryx

[@glennbabic5954]

Glad you all had fun, except why is Europe always so dour and overcast?

[@feuerling]

Depends on the season. Spring weather tends to change between soggy and sunny from one day to the next.

[@CarlosHenriqueXavierEndo]

Where's Emily? I miss her!

[@cesarvidelac]

Be careful saying "fossil producing". It's fuel for all those creationists out there.

[@VashVicious2]

They needed proper fuel? I thought they just made things up for fuel. It baffles me that after researching clades myself I found that they could find plenty of things to use as fuels but they refuse to do so lmao

[@fermintenava5911]

Don't worry, they're also producing more fuel for KZbinrs debunking those creationists. So it's reduced waste (and the fight is not won by reducing fuel, anyway).

[@kentl7228]

I dislike when documentaries or books say "designed" or "perfectly designed" etc, in a non creationist piece of media. It is an innocent wording or perhaps placating, but it just isn't factual and food for the nefarious fodder.

[@Danboi.]

Imagine believing in primitive religious mystical nonsense in 2024.. Look what it does for those in the middle east. 👌

[@theperfectbotsteve4916]

they don't watch these only the con-men lieing to them do

[@user-kl5dz4mb7q]

I like your videos but I about had a stroke when you said brontosaur. That does not exist.

[@benabode1928]

You need to step back, get out of the way and let us see the standing pterosaur model. frustrating

[@kenday82]

The only missing link is the link of common sense in your brain

[@Zillathralls]

This shit ain't nothing to me, man

[@oberonpanopticon]

Then why are you here?

[@Zillathralls]

@@oberonpanopticon look up the ‘Dracula Flow’

[@noneed4sleep64]

@@oberonpanopticonbecause he’s a dog, he’s bitin’ the fart bubbles in the bath