A new BBC Studios documentary, however, shows a gentler side of them. Returning after 25 years, BBC classic documentary series Walking with Dinosaurs follows the lives of six dinosaurs, including the famous T-Rex and Triceratops.
Each episode interweaves scenes of CGI dinosaur life with the work of scientists uncovering their fossilised remains. BBC head of development Thomas Scott and Dr Nizar Ibrahim, a scientist who worked on the series, spoke to theSun on bringing the documentary to life.
Scott: It has been a huge honour and a privilege to get the opportunity to do it. We were on the 25th anniversary of the first series and there have been many extraordinary scientific breakthroughs since then.
Nizar: I grew up watching the first season, which is such an iconic title and series. So, to work on the second series as an established scientist now feels very exciting. It feels surreal because it is something that you experienced as a child.
Did you feel pressure to live up to or outdo the original series?
So, you do feel a huge responsibility because you are not just making an amazing piece of television, you are also creating the start of a lifelong passion for palaeontology and science. That is one of the things I love about the series.
It is difficult for people to distinguish between things that are directly based on fossils and things that are not. People who do not have background knowledge of palaeontology and natural history, may believe that 90% of what they are watching is made up.
What were some sources you referred to during pre-production?
We work with those experts in the field to tell the stories of what is coming out of the ground. We also work with them to combine our knowledge of science and natural history storytelling to create the story for our individual dinosaurs.
Was it easier to re-imagine the legendary creatures with the new visual effects and updated scientific knowledge?
With pure CGI, you can create more dramatic sequences to build a sense of character. For instance, it enables you to have features and expressions, allowing you to build an emotional bond with the dinosaurs.
Nizar: It is interesting how some of the movements of the dinosaurs look alien and surprising to some people. It is the first time that many actually see what a T-Rex or an Albertosaurus would actually look like when it is walking.
There is nothing like a T-Rex or a Spinosaurus around today. So, it is interesting to be able to capture the alien nature of these creatures with new CGI.
Scott: Certainly because we are spending so much time with an individual dinosaur. There is the chance to tell a more complex story of their social structure, their relationship with their offspring or with other members of their pack.
Nizar: There will be a stark difference. In Hollywood movies, dinosaurs are one-dimensional creatures. They are out to destroy and eat you. Whereas with Walking with Dinosaurs, you see a palette of behaviours such as protecting their offspring, feeding and going on long journeys.
Do you think dinosaurs will ever walk this earth again through regenerative cloning?
So, if you tweak some of those genes, you can make a chicken grow some tooth buds, a long tail and grasping arms. But it still would not be a velociraptor. Instead, it would be a very scary-looking chicken.
Dinosaurs are thousands of times older than most of us. Even if we could, it would not be a good idea as I am sure they will suffer from our human activities. It is probably better for them to be extinct.
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