Stegosaurus: Roof Lizard, Thagomizer, and the Real Story Behind the Plates

Intellectually Curious

Take a deep dive into the iconic Stegosaurus: how Marsh first imagined a slow, turtle-like herbivore, why S. stenops became the standard, and what the plates really reveal about display, thermoregulation, and their keratin sheath. We explore the zigzag plate arrangement, the evidence behind the thagomizer as a defensive weapon, and the long-running myth of a 'second brain'—the glycogen body. We also consider its low-browsing lifestyle, the 2024 Apex skeleton sale and the science-access debate, and end with a provocative question: if Stegosaurus had weak jaws, what evolutionary pressures favored its dramatic plates and tail spikes over more efficient feeding?

Note: This podcast was AI-generated, and sometimes AI can make mistakes. Please double-check any critical information.

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