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'Jurassic World' From A Dinosaur Expert's Perspective

PITTSBURGH (NewsRadio1020 KDKA) - Fans of the "Jurassic Park" franchise waited 22 years since the original for the new "Jurassic World" to make its debut.

They showed up in full force making the $208.8 million opening the biggest opening in movie history.

I mean, let's face it, where else can you see Dinosaurs roam around with humans and imagine what it would have been like to live with such creatures? Luckily, we have a place right here in Pittsburgh that offers you an experience to learn about the dinosaurs since "Jurassic World" takes creative liberty and does not necessarily focus on factual encounters.

Matt Lamanna, Assistant Curator of Vertebrae Paleontology at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, joined Mangino and Shelley on "The KDKA Afternoon News" to give us his opinion on the movie and set some of the Jurassic Era record straight.

"I thought from the stand point of scientific accuracy it left a lot to be desired but, I definitely had a lot of fun at the movie," Lamanna said. "I was one of the people in the packed theater that was cheering at the end. So it was a good time."

While going to the movie is meant for entertainment purposes for those who see a movie in their field of study and expertise they can't help but pick it apart a little.

"From a standpoint of the appearance of the dinosaurs we've known for about ten years now actually that Velociraptors, the dinosaurs that are kind of the trained pack in the movie those were covered in feathers so they would actually look quite a bit more bird like than they are depicted in the movie," Lamanna said.

Since "Jurassic World" like most movies have taken a creative license to keep those who come to see it in theaters entertained, the best place for those who want to learn about dinosaurs and the history, the best place would still be seeking out an expert like Lamanna at your local museums.

"From a paleontology standpoint, some of my colleagues, some of my fellow paleontologists have correctly realized that many millions of people around the world are going to see this movie and saw it as a wonderful opportunity to maybe bring people up to speed of what paleontologists have learned over the past 20 years," Lamanna said.

As the discussion continued, they talked about why the movie producers don't actually use the factually correct depictions of the dinosaurs and what it's like for Lamanna in his career.

You can hear the whole interview here now!

Tune into "The KDKA Afternoon News" with Mangino and Shelley weekdays from 3-7 p.m.

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