Were These Monsters Inspired by Fossils? (w/ Monstrum!)

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  • Опубліковано 28 жов 2019
  • PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to to.pbs.org/DonateEons
    Check out Monstrum's full episode on Cyclops: • Cyclops: The Origin St...
    People have been discovering the traces and remains of prehistoric creatures for thousands of years. And they’ve also probably been telling stories about fantastic beasts since language became a thing. So, is it possible that the monsters that populate our myths and legends were influenced by the fossil record?
    Big thanks to these paleoartists for allowing us to use their wonderful illustrations:
    Julio Lacerda: 252mya.com/gallery/julio-lacerda
    Ceri Thomas: / alphynix
    Fabrizio De Rossi: 252mya.com/gallery/fabrizio-d...
    Produced in collaboration with PBS Digital Studios: / pbsdigitalstudios
    Super special thanks to the following Patreon patrons for helping make Eons possible:
    Katie Fichtner, Anthony Callaghan, Jack Arbuckle, David Sewall, Anton Bryl, Ben Thorson, Andrey, MissyElliottSmith, The Scintillating Spencer, Zachary Spencer, Stefan Weber, Ilya Murashov, Robert Amling, Po Foon Kwong, Larry Wilson, Merri Snaidman, John Vanek, Neil H. Gray, Esmeralda Rupp-Spangle, Gregory Donovan, Gabriel Cortez, Marcus Lejon, Robert Arévalo
    Robert Hill, Todd Dittman, Betsy Radley, PS, Philip Slingerland, Eric Vonk, Henrik Peteri, Jonathan Wright, Jon Monteiro, James Bording, Brad Nicholls, Miles Chaston, Michael McClellan, Jeff Graham, Maria Humphrey, Nathan Paskett, Connor Jensen, Daisuke Goto, Hubert Rady, Gregory Kintz, Tyson Cleary, Chandler Bass, Joao Ascensao, Tsee Lee, Alex Yan
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    References: docs.google.com/document/d/1s...
  • Наука та технологія

КОМЕНТАРІ • 1,6 тис.

  • @eons
    @eons  4 роки тому +791

    Hey Eons viewers! Producer Seth here. Monstrum is one of my favorite channels so it was a thrill to be able to collaborate with them on this episode. Make sure you check out their new video on cyclops and tell them Eons sent you! ua-cam.com/video/s-pMfIWl4kI/v-deo.html

    • @elmurdoc
      @elmurdoc 4 роки тому +5

      Ahhh, i was wonder if today is the day of cyclops :)

    • @Pyro-et9vs
      @Pyro-et9vs 4 роки тому +4

      PBS Eons happy Halloween!

    • @pbsstoried
      @pbsstoried 4 роки тому +8

      Thank you Seth! Working with the Eons team was a blast.

    • @shepp765
      @shepp765 4 роки тому +5

      11:35 peace was never an option

    • @mamabear_books1417
      @mamabear_books1417 4 роки тому +1

      Yaaaaas omg I was so excited for these episodes between you guys! Mind blown!🤯

  • @TragoudistrosMPH
    @TragoudistrosMPH 4 роки тому +5075

    Why were dragons in so many cultures??
    Eons: Fossils?
    History Channel: Dragons were real?

    • @moosemaimer
      @moosemaimer 4 роки тому +517

      "Much like how early humans wiped out most of the Eurasian megafauna, this conclusively proves Sasquatch hunted the chupacabra to extinction!"

    • @thatman8562
      @thatman8562 4 роки тому +121

      VSauce: Instinct?

    • @VendPrekmurec
      @VendPrekmurec 4 роки тому +22

      Dragons were real

    • @ralphjosephacobo8014
      @ralphjosephacobo8014 4 роки тому +117

      Wasn't there a fake documentary like that?

    • @ralphjosephbanghulot7159
      @ralphjosephbanghulot7159 4 роки тому +132

      Or ancient aliens...

  • @Demongotoo
    @Demongotoo 4 роки тому +3467

    If I have a gold mine and can't guard it 24/7 I'd make up stories about monsters in them too.

    • @aidantheraider6324
      @aidantheraider6324 4 роки тому +137

      Ingenious

    • @Alusnovalotus
      @Alusnovalotus 4 роки тому +10

      Daisy Dee lol just posted something similar. Plus the beaks look the same.

    • @MrAlwaysRight
      @MrAlwaysRight 4 роки тому +33

      I'd talk about how big my PP was.

    • @luckychips2283
      @luckychips2283 4 роки тому +37

      @@aidantheraider6324, and then Science had to go and ruin it for everyone by disproving these stories.

    • @dolphinboi-playmonsterranc9668
      @dolphinboi-playmonsterranc9668 4 роки тому +54

      @@luckychips2283 What am I supposed to use for protecting my gold and treasures now?

  • @hisholiness4537
    @hisholiness4537 3 роки тому +462

    Imagine being your average everyday Wooly Rhino, doing Wooly Rhino things, completely unaware of the fact that one day people will immortalize your remains as that of a Dragon, the most legendary of all creatures.

    • @xkoala303x
      @xkoala303x 3 роки тому +16

      That’s how I want to go out tbh

    • @fernandohgfg6847
      @fernandohgfg6847 3 роки тому +2

      Oh yes. The Wooly Albino Rhino Gyno who also happens to be a wine addict.

    • @UrSoulsBelong2Nahobeeho
      @UrSoulsBelong2Nahobeeho 3 роки тому +2

      @@fernandohgfg6847 Bojack Horseman reference....nice 1 ;-;

    • @TheAkwarium
      @TheAkwarium 2 роки тому +4

      then imagine your ancestors in the Ice Age seeing these animals every day and not thinking much about it, it was just their everyday life

    • @restezlameme
      @restezlameme 2 роки тому +3

      There are actual instances of Ancient Greeks discovering ancient fossils, who mistook them for bones of creatures/demigods/heroes, and so reburied them with some measure of ceremony. I forget where I read this, but it was mentioned alongside the ancients' interpretations of a massive fossil hotspot in Samos, Greece, as a battleground between Amazons and heroes of some kind.

  • @littlesnowflakepunk855
    @littlesnowflakepunk855 3 роки тому +279

    Japan's water dragons being more likely to act in anger makes sense given the prevalence of typhoons and tsunamis.

  • @chiseler151
    @chiseler151 4 роки тому +2768

    "my queen, i have slain the fire-breathing dragon. look at the hardened burnt skull. pay me"

    • @MechanicaMenace
      @MechanicaMenace 4 роки тому +172

      @Hernando Malinche more likely monitor lizards, with forked tongues in artwork becoming flames as copies got more elaborate.

    • @prismitits9005
      @prismitits9005 4 роки тому +28

      @Hernando Malinche monitor lizards actually CAN be scary too, even the smaller species

    • @Starshock119
      @Starshock119 4 роки тому +57

      ​@SPINKZOR Queen Elizabeth I of England actually purchased and owned a narwhal horn from a group of Norwegian merchants for £60,000 (roughly the value of an entire castle/manor in the exchange rate of that era) believing it to be a Unicorn horn. It was one of her crown treasures IIRC.

    • @barbarahouk1983
      @barbarahouk1983 4 роки тому +3

      Oh that is sad that Queen Elizabeth I got taken.

    • @josephdonais8091
      @josephdonais8091 4 роки тому +6

      "hardened" the basilisk did it!

  • @JuanHernandez-nl9wo
    @JuanHernandez-nl9wo 4 роки тому +2005

    Whales' skulls might be the inspiration behind those sea monsters with tusks that appear sometimes in older maps of the world.

    • @ethanwesterfield6478
      @ethanwesterfield6478 4 роки тому +115

      Oh absolutely, the lower jawbones look like tusks to someone who wouldn't know any better.

    • @JaymeSplendid
      @JaymeSplendid 4 роки тому +57

      Except sailors would know what whales where as they breach often out of the water, plus the early whaling that has been going on ever since large boats that could carry many people went out to sea. Bones found on land where always thought to be just that: Land living animals. People didn't know that water covered most of the land we see today.
      Most sea monsters where just misidentified from actual sea creatures. Bones found where never thought to be sea creatures, people couldn't fathom that very shallow seas would cover most of today's land masses.

    • @samiamrg7
      @samiamrg7 4 роки тому +96

      Someone else said that whale bones could be the inspiration for monstrous serpents like the Wadjet or Wurms/Wyrms. Just because sailors know what a whale looks like doesn’t mean they know what their skeletons look like.

    • @EvilLeprechuan
      @EvilLeprechuan 4 роки тому +13

      Oar fish, dragon sharks, and other deep ocean fish.

    • @StarShine-Ranch
      @StarShine-Ranch 4 роки тому +10

      Uh, NARWHALES, duh!

  • @JG-on2wx
    @JG-on2wx 4 роки тому +636

    I remember how I went to the beach as a small kid, maybe 8 years old, and searched for funny looking stones. I was also a huge dinosaur fan and I always dreamt of finding the remains of a creature that lived millions of years ago. And sometimes, I actually found little stones that didn't quite look like stones. I still have them, one of them looks like a layer of skin with scales, or the imprints of scales. I'm still not sure what exactly caused the weird structure, but when I found it, I felt like I had just discovered a miracle.
    The excitement hasn't faded away. I recently started going to university, and I'm studying archeology. I love it.

    • @JG-on2wx
      @JG-on2wx 4 роки тому +11

      @J G thanks, yes I really enjoy it, although I'm still at the start. And I just noticed that we both have the same username 😃

    • @JG-on2wx
      @JG-on2wx 4 роки тому

      @J G :o

    • @warfighter1988
      @warfighter1988 4 роки тому +14

      Nice you've chosen unemployment

    • @rustyshackelford3590
      @rustyshackelford3590 4 роки тому +12

      Well dinosaurs are paleontology, archeology is the study of remains of past human material culture.

    • @codylgarcia
      @codylgarcia 4 роки тому +2

      Soooooo........
      Dr. Grant?

  • @marcustulliuscicero5443
    @marcustulliuscicero5443 4 роки тому +1613

    Fun fact: In China, what we call dinosaurs are called _kong long_ , which translates to *terrifying dragon*
    So while dragons might be inspired by dinosaur remains, to the Chinese dinosaur remains are certainly inspired by their ancient stories about dragons.

    • @tiffyw92
      @tiffyw92 4 роки тому +134

      If you think about it, dinosaurs ARE dragons. They just had horns in different places, some were really long, others had huge claws, and even others were feathered and could fly. Who knows, there may have been some that were really keen with sensing moisture in the air and knew when rain might come; "summon the rain," if you will.
      Not to mention that China is home to several different "Dinosaur Valley" provinces, so yeah, it really is the Land of the Dragons.

    • @80sGamerLady
      @80sGamerLady 4 роки тому +38

      Tyrannosaurus Rex means "tyrant lizard king" kind of parallels that. Makes sense that other cultures would have similar names or meanings.

    • @LordLazo
      @LordLazo 4 роки тому +2

      Marcus Tullius Cicero
      Don’t chinese people think they’re dragons too

    • @spindash64
      @spindash64 4 роки тому +11

      Aren’t Eastern Dragons almost more akin to minor Gods in their role in Chinese and Japanese mythology than they are akin to, say, monsters like the Hydra? Like, Japan seems to like to slap the name Dragon on everything somehow and make it work

    • @NamelessKing1597
      @NamelessKing1597 4 роки тому +19

      @@80sGamerLady not to mention dinosaur means terrible lizard in latin which is arguably even closer.

  • @PerryTrails
    @PerryTrails 4 роки тому +2566

    Ancient Egypt was the home of the Amphiptere, a type of dragon that was a giant serpent with wings. It looks a lot like the whale fossils found in near Faiyum, which are actually pretty serpentine-looking. The front fins could have been seen as wings, and the head a does look a little bit like that of a giant snake.

    • @drsharkboy6568
      @drsharkboy6568 4 роки тому +213

      Basilosaurus was effectively a snake-whale, and were it still here, folks would’ve mistaken it for a sea serpent.

    • @MarkVrem
      @MarkVrem 4 роки тому +126

      Dinosaurs are more related to birds than lizards. Dragons fly. The ancients were on to something lol

    • @NickLavic
      @NickLavic 4 роки тому +39

      Egypt? As far as I can see, Amphiptere is a European myth, not Egyptian. Maybe you were thinking of Wadjet, the winged snake goddess.

    • @grubbybum3614
      @grubbybum3614 4 роки тому +44

      Australian Aboriginals have a myth about the 'Bunyip', a creature that dwells in billabongs, and devours unsuspecting swimmers... Is probably a 60k year old tale about the Mega fauna creature of similar habits.

    • @wadespencer3623
      @wadespencer3623 4 роки тому +45

      @@drsharkboy6568 It's called Basilosaurus (king lizard) because the first guy to reconstruct it put parts from two skeletons together and declared it to be a real sea serpent. Unfortunately, due to the rules of nomenclature, we're stuck with the inaccurate name even though other scientists were immediately calling the guy out on his fakery.

  • @cthulhufhtagn2483
    @cthulhufhtagn2483 4 роки тому +757

    5:44 The world's most depressed looking _Protoceratops_ .

  • @Xagzan
    @Xagzan 4 роки тому +1094

    Everyone knows dragon myths were inspired by King Ghidorah coming down from space.

    • @NanoWoo
      @NanoWoo 4 роки тому +14

      rakat sceptic indeed, old bean

    • @denistyrant
      @denistyrant 4 роки тому +35

      Godzilla: How many times are we going to tell you this listen old man!

    • @rex90pawprint
      @rex90pawprint 4 роки тому +17

      Ah, I see you are a fellow man of culture!

    • @Udontkno7
      @Udontkno7 4 роки тому +4

      Exactly. This channel is as bad as the History channel.

    • @enriqueae7532
      @enriqueae7532 4 роки тому +1

      Hahahaha

  • @johnortmann3098
    @johnortmann3098 4 роки тому +514

    ""...spent all their time tending sheep." Shows picture of goats. 9:20

    • @patrickmccurry1563
      @patrickmccurry1563 4 роки тому +71

      Mythical sheep that just happened to look exactly like goats. It's like you never even read The Odyssey in original Greek. ;)

    • @johnortmann3098
      @johnortmann3098 4 роки тому +52

      @@patrickmccurry1563 It's all Greek to me.

    • @wrathayush
      @wrathayush 4 роки тому +2

      Lol

    • @wrathayush
      @wrathayush 4 роки тому +1

      @@patrickmccurry1563 ohu

    • @qwertyqwerty6099
      @qwertyqwerty6099 4 роки тому +1

      Lmao!

  • @manowlad
    @manowlad 3 роки тому +38

    Here in Brazil theres a legend about a creature called Mapinguari. Some say its appereance was based by giant sloth fossils

  • @OlOleander
    @OlOleander 4 роки тому +566

    I came back exhausted from one of my last days at this job, realized I'd already set up a cup of tea, and saw an Eons episode.
    It's the small things, guys.

    • @Eontologist
      @Eontologist 4 роки тому +8

      Manatee Man tea and Eons is my favorite combination ❤️

    • @MrAlwaysRight
      @MrAlwaysRight 4 роки тому +3

      NOT like my PP. My PP is real big.

    • @cookiepowerx9251
      @cookiepowerx9251 4 роки тому +9

      @@MrAlwaysRight this is small pp comment

    • @danoconnor5138
      @danoconnor5138 3 роки тому +3

      Hope your new Job is going well.

    • @akiyamamoto6661
      @akiyamamoto6661 3 роки тому +3

      @@cookiepowerx9251 no it’s true I am their pp

  • @DeathbyProxy
    @DeathbyProxy 4 роки тому +286

    That would explain now dragons in Chinese myths have feathers/fur, since fossils in China are often very well preserved and show integument

    • @wendygold8527
      @wendygold8527 4 роки тому +1

      Dinosaurs had feathers

    • @DeathbyProxy
      @DeathbyProxy 4 роки тому +10

      Wendy Gold Yeah

    • @jozeph2932
      @jozeph2932 4 роки тому +3

      The Velociraptor could have been mistaken for the Basilisk.

    • @eskadecci3400
      @eskadecci3400 4 роки тому +7

      @@jozeph2932 no wtf, the velociraptor is like the size of a turkey

    • @jozeph2932
      @jozeph2932 4 роки тому

      Maybe not the velociraptor but the feathered dinousaurs in the region.

  • @synonymous1079
    @synonymous1079 4 роки тому +321

    What fantastic beasts! If only someone could tell me where to find them...

    • @Roguefem76
      @Roguefem76 4 роки тому +4

      **rimshot**

    • @stavristavrev6795
      @stavristavrev6795 4 роки тому +3

      @@Roguefem76 Archer ?

    • @Roguefem76
      @Roguefem76 4 роки тому

      @@stavristavrev6795 Sorry, what?

    • @pipborebor2875
      @pipborebor2875 4 роки тому +1

      Make some of your own by looking at fossils, and then draw the fossils but with weird stuff combined and then put flesh and skin on dat boi and BOOM a mythological beast

    • @TheClickbaiterA
      @TheClickbaiterA 3 роки тому

      Just dig and dig and dig

  • @JoshuaSeed
    @JoshuaSeed 4 роки тому +144

    A few years ago, maybe 1989, I was visiting new york city. I was walking on 6th avenue, which was congested with pedestrian traffic on the sidewalk. The crowd parted, and being young I darted for the opening thinking to get ahead a bit. I am 6'5" and was starkly skinny then. The crowd had parted for a beggar. He had a metal teapot for his cup and he shook it at me. He had one extra large eye, centered on his face, and a small vestigial one crowded out to it's right. His nose was like a stack of leaves, too many folds like his sinuses were exposed. He was taller than me. Maybe 6'8 or 6'10. I've never doubted where myths about cyclops, giants, ettins and other monsters come from. They are us.

    • @mz00956
      @mz00956 4 роки тому +12

      😅🤦‍♂️ I just read "1898" and was like: wait what?

    • @andrewhendy5920
      @andrewhendy5920 4 роки тому +53

      a few years ago *almost 30 years ago*

    • @fulviopontarollo2952
      @fulviopontarollo2952 4 роки тому +11

      Andrew Hendy ok zoomer

    • @victorfaja2110
      @victorfaja2110 4 роки тому +8

      Man lay of the drugs

    • @Mael_Str0M
      @Mael_Str0M 4 роки тому +9

      For a second I thought you were talking about Percy Jackson

  • @ls200076
    @ls200076 4 роки тому +516

    When you're a deformed (human) being but people consider you as a mythical being.
    Deformed being: "I see this as an absolute win."

    • @BibleStorm
      @BibleStorm 4 роки тому +5

      @Manophire. com I think you mean "markiplier prostate and the projectile uterus"
      Or maybe marsupial and placental.

    • @lidiatarczewska7206
      @lidiatarczewska7206 4 роки тому +16

      There are some examples of congenital deformity that also can be insipiration for legends, like cyclopia or sirenomelia

    • @laurensahanna5826
      @laurensahanna5826 4 роки тому

      @Manophire. com I think you mean Marsupial and Placental?

    • @randomguy263
      @randomguy263 4 роки тому +4

      Yeah, the problem is, people with these deformities generally die after a few hours.

    • @italucenaz
      @italucenaz 3 роки тому

      There is no evidence of any adult person with an eye on the forehead, even the one that born like that, they eventually die for the other health conditions, it is extremelly unlikelly that cyclops were really inspired in humans, I'm sure people at the time just invented it, just like almost everything in mythology

  • @Alusnovalotus
    @Alusnovalotus 4 роки тому +29

    The Griffith myth’s beak and protoceratops’ beak looks exactly alike. If the nomads were trying to keep others away from possible gold producing areas, they’d tell everyone about the bones of terrible creatures around there and let the tales circulate.

  • @whoareyou56101
    @whoareyou56101 3 роки тому +18

    The first dragon I’ve seen was when I woke up in a wagon to “hey you there, you’re finally awake”

  • @helsiclife
    @helsiclife 3 роки тому +20

    Omg I live in China in the Sichuan province, I visited the place where the dinosaurs used to nest. There are tons of fossils in that place and the excavation site is huge! So cool

  • @ArchFiendFolio
    @ArchFiendFolio 4 роки тому +76

    I love the crossover on this episode. Well done ladies and your teams.

  • @marilu3173
    @marilu3173 2 роки тому +7

    As a folklorist, I would love more videos like these! Thank you PBS Eons. I love this channel.

  • @bece00
    @bece00 4 роки тому +36

    I always thought monster myths probably came from fossils! I also think the global “flood myth” probably came, at least in part, from finding fish fossils on the tops of mountains.

    • @orlkorrect
      @orlkorrect Рік тому +2

      That was definitely the case with the ancient Greeks, who speculated that such fossils were evidence of several worldwide floods. They couldn't have been the only ones to come to that conclusion.

  • @veggieboyultimate
    @veggieboyultimate 4 роки тому +363

    I never knew how many monsters were thought of because of fossils.

    • @youcankillgod
      @youcankillgod 4 роки тому +3

      The Demon Amon horns are literally amonites.

    • @cryptidliam8452
      @cryptidliam8452 4 роки тому +4

      Yeah like pretty sure a unicorn is based off a type of rhino and then kinda slowly brought to be more elegant through time and people telling stories

    • @360.Tapestry
      @360.Tapestry 4 роки тому +2

      keep fighting. i want to see who's smartest

    • @patrickmccurry1563
      @patrickmccurry1563 4 роки тому +4

      None of this has been proved. They're just speculations based on what we think ancient people believed. Some may have been based initially on fossils. But which if any of them were, we have no idea.

    • @antoniaburnett6067
      @antoniaburnett6067 4 роки тому

      preying mantis miniature = Alien from the movie Aliens 😐.

  • @skyem5250
    @skyem5250 4 роки тому +70

    Eons is literally my favorite channel on all of the UA-cam. I just have one complaint. "Prehistoric" is only applicable to human history. In terms of paleontology, it's about as meaningful as "pre-WWII"

    • @skyem5250
      @skyem5250 4 роки тому +6

      @@emmettbattle5728 There are other words that can be used. There's no point simplifying something to explain it if you get it wrong.

    • @renerpho
      @renerpho 4 роки тому +13

      "Prehistory" can refer to deep history (anything since the beginning of the universe). The term "human prehistory" can be used to disambiguate it from the period where humans existed on Earth.

    • @Miketod3
      @Miketod3 4 роки тому +4

      Old rugaluster you know what they meant I know what they meant why complicate things

    • @freedapeeple4049
      @freedapeeple4049 4 роки тому +10

      Pffft. "Prehistoric" simply means "before recorded history" which means that EVERYTHING further back than about 10,000 years ago is prehistoric.

    • @tiacho2893
      @tiacho2893 4 роки тому +5

      I would say that the term is being used literally and colloquially. Literally, there are no first hand accounts either written or oral. And colloquially as denoting prior to what we loosely call the age of "humans". Also, it infers that this is an interpretation of evidence.
      I agree that the term is imprecise, like Asian to describe Russian, Chinese, Korean, East Indian (South Asian), Malaysians, etc. as anything but living on the same continent. But very precise terms are usually only relevant to experts and very dedicated amateurs; not for a general audience.

  • @kaiplaygame6808
    @kaiplaygame6808 4 роки тому +34

    I remember reading about this in “Dinomania” (2018) by Boria Sax
    Classic religious art was essential in the development of early paleoart and by extension paleontology

  • @ohmoenay
    @ohmoenay 4 роки тому +7

    It's so wild and beautiful how so many cultures could share the same mythology and ideas when they are miles apart

  • @deenamorgan6674
    @deenamorgan6674 4 роки тому +50

    Yay! Science AND monsters! They're my favorite!

  • @Alwis-Haph-Rytte
    @Alwis-Haph-Rytte 4 роки тому +32

    Next thing they'll claim 'How to train your Dragon' and 'Dragon riders of Berk' weren't based on real Viking history. It's enough to make Little Jackie Paper roll in his grave.

    • @Cypresssina
      @Cypresssina 4 роки тому +3

      So, you probably don't want to talk about Skyrim either?

    • @Ruiluth
      @Ruiluth 3 роки тому

      R.I.P. Little Jackie Paper, he didn't live forever.

  • @demonking86420
    @demonking86420 4 роки тому +66

    to insert a trey the explainer meme here:
    it's either a basking owl or a barn shark-- damn it

  • @Paul_Ch52
    @Paul_Ch52 4 роки тому +52

    9:58 Hilarious how the cyclops throwing the boulder at Odysseus' ship has a bloody right eye. His left eye appears to be fine.

  • @montialarson
    @montialarson 3 роки тому +8

    I would like to thank the patreons and everyone involved with this channel. I love this channel. I love biology and history and stories. This channel combines all of the that and more.

  • @Gerry565656
    @Gerry565656 4 роки тому +41

    "Planet Earth has seen MUCH stranger creatures in it's 4.5 billion year history"
    Yeah, the Drepanosaurs.

  • @damenl5695
    @damenl5695 4 роки тому +15

    Oh, I heard that "dragon tales" reference. Well played PBS EONS, well played.

  • @nziom
    @nziom 4 роки тому +13

    I mean it would make so much sence that most mystical creatures were inspired by fossils at least this means they were real but not in the way ancient civilizations thought.

  • @yourstruly4817
    @yourstruly4817 4 роки тому +156

    They mostly come at Eons...mostly.

  • @leaguemastergg3647
    @leaguemastergg3647 3 роки тому +12

    11:27 Ah, imagine if humans had domesticated the small elephants and today we had tea cup elephants instead of dogs

  • @OrangeEpsilon
    @OrangeEpsilon 4 роки тому +7

    I was eating while watching this and nearly choked at 0:06 when they mentioned Klagenfurt. I'm from Ferlach which is about 10 km south of Klagenfurt but I never heard of this skull discovery and that it is the origin of the Lindwurm which is displayed at 0:36. Thanks for this cool knowledge

  • @rockthered8706
    @rockthered8706 4 роки тому +179

    I've always thought dragons were inspired by fossils

    • @CareerKnight
      @CareerKnight 4 роки тому +11

      We'll never really know for sure and it might be a chicken or egg situation. Were fossils inspirations for dragons or were fossils used to support the belief in dragons?

    • @pbsstoried
      @pbsstoried 4 роки тому +9

      We have a video about European dragons if you want to get some more info. about what inspired them.

    • @mikebarnes7441
      @mikebarnes7441 4 роки тому +1

      Well congratulations you must be smarter than all of us normies huh?

    • @rossfromfriends8468
      @rossfromfriends8468 4 роки тому +2

      Imagine finding a Dino skull back Then. What a trip

    • @rockthered8706
      @rockthered8706 4 роки тому

      Ross from Friends there is a theory that the cyclops the Greeks talked about were likely mammoth or elephant skulls. Look up pictures, you’ll see why.

  • @bronybro1616
    @bronybro1616 4 роки тому +47

    For anyone who loves to explore the cultural and historical aspects of monsters in mythology and folklore; Monsturm is the channel for you my dudes

  • @tylerjames1716
    @tylerjames1716 4 роки тому +12

    6:55 my face when I accidentally touch the toilet water when wiping

    • @Sickvideos19
      @Sickvideos19 4 роки тому

      Hahaha now that is probably one of the best comments I've seen in a while

    • @modest123
      @modest123 4 роки тому +8

      How do you wipe that your hand comes remotely close to the toilet bowl

  • @09Dragonite
    @09Dragonite 4 роки тому +6

    This is wonderful, I've always suspected fossils to link so many myths around the globe to dragons. It makes sense, especially because of the creatures that left fossils behind in places such as Eastern Asia and the Americas. Thunderbirds in Native American culture have always reminded me of avian megafauna and pterosaurs, while Quetzucoatl shares qualities with Chinese Dragons such as the snake like form- and titanoboa fossils were found in Columbia while Gigantophis fossils were found in Egypt (and could also explain the myths of giant snake creatures there!)

  • @andysbg77
    @andysbg77 4 роки тому +40

    Great Video!!
    As an austrian, I appreciate the mention of the "Lindwurm" in Klagenfurt, Austria!!!

    • @mz00956
      @mz00956 4 роки тому +2

      Me too. 🇦🇹

    • @vili9626
      @vili9626 4 роки тому +1

      Austria boys party 🇦🇹

  • @deirdregibbons5609
    @deirdregibbons5609 4 роки тому +5

    This is a great idea to combine Eons and Monstrum together for an episode!

  • @Googledeservestodie
    @Googledeservestodie 4 роки тому +3

    I think one of my favorite examples of this phenomenon is Australian myths. The Aborigines, one of the oldest cultural groups on Earth, have stories about giant lizard like predators called Whowies and slimy semiaquatic behemoths called Bunyips that are almost identical to the Australian megafauna that used to populate the continent when early aborigine first arrived thousands of years ago like the giant lizard megalania and the enormous marsupial diprotodon that used to swim in Australia's swamps. To the first humans populate in Australia these weren't just fossils, these were living breathing animals that went extinct after they arrived.

  • @jeromeriedl
    @jeromeriedl 4 роки тому +8

    I loved hearing about ancient people keeping fossils. I want to hear about the Dino shaped sculptures found in South America and if the people who made them kept any fossils

  • @seafoamturtle2280
    @seafoamturtle2280 4 роки тому +21

    Love Monstrum!! Would recommend the channel to everyone

    • @chelsey8737
      @chelsey8737 4 роки тому

      I do too I just hate that the videos are so short. Id watch a 20 min break down

    • @seafoamturtle2280
      @seafoamturtle2280 4 роки тому +1

      @@chelsey8737 right?!!!

    • @user-mv6yv9ec1b
      @user-mv6yv9ec1b 4 роки тому

      All these PBS guys are great

    • @pbsstoried
      @pbsstoried 4 роки тому +3

      You're the best! Thank you.

  • @liamflynn1120
    @liamflynn1120 4 роки тому +6

    This is one of my favorite videos of yours! I love mythology and it's absolutely thrilling to see it intersect with science.

  • @alaskankara
    @alaskankara 3 роки тому +4

    THANK YOU for this video, sincerely. I'm working on my graduation thesis which is about the History of Paleontology and I really needed these sources for my first chapters. I will be citing you on my thanks page 🙇‍♀️

  • @spinosaurus2001
    @spinosaurus2001 4 роки тому

    This is something I've thought about for quite a while so it's nice seeing an interesting topic like this tackled in such an informative way! Thank you PBS eons

    • @yougottrumped3302
      @yougottrumped3302 4 роки тому

      When are they gonna do one on the evolution of the uteruses .. i'v noticed the plocentle uterus looks strikingly similar to the Marcupile prostate 😱

  • @nyar2352
    @nyar2352 4 роки тому +34

    Austria represent!
    I always felt like there's something mammalian about that Tatzelwurm...

    • @prinzessinpummelfee7495
      @prinzessinpummelfee7495 4 роки тому +4

      Was ist denn ein Tatzelwurm? Ist das sowas wie ein Lindwurm?

    • @nyar2352
      @nyar2352 4 роки тому +1

      Prinzessin Pummelfee Genau das, nur ein bissi kleiner. Ich weiß daß der Klagenfurter ein Lindwurm ist, aber ich finde er sieht so lieb aus daß 'Tatzelwurm' sich einfach anbietet 😉

    • @nyar2352
      @nyar2352 4 роки тому +4

      Czech-Ourselves • The Tatzelwurm is somewhat smaller than the Lindwurm (which is the name of the 'dragon' of Klagenfurt); however, I prefer to call it a Tatzelwurm because it looks effing adorable: check out the image at en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tatzelwurm

  • @malekdelacruz3842
    @malekdelacruz3842 4 роки тому +4

    Yess this collab is amazing ! Love both channels, I hope to see more 💖
    Great jobs!

  • @paddor
    @paddor 4 роки тому +19

    Great video! Maybe some other monster stories came from the time of different human species making contact and eliminating each other. Today we’re the only humans species left. Some encounters must have made their way into our myths and legends, right?

  • @cavemancyproductions
    @cavemancyproductions 4 роки тому +2

    The dwarf elephant of Cyprus... I've seen the actual fossil skeleton in a friend's house here in Cyprus, it was amazing!

  • @Sir-Complains-a-Lot
    @Sir-Complains-a-Lot 3 роки тому +3

    this is very well made all around! thank you very much for your working and dedication to educating the public.

  • @nephene00
    @nephene00 4 роки тому +3

    Great episode! Great topic! I remember having had discussions about weather dragons were dinosaurs mistaken for dragons with friends and in school as a kid. It was great to see it covered. well done =)

  • @menkomonty
    @menkomonty 4 роки тому +2

    Not too long ago, a newspaper reported that some scientists have captured footage of a very large eel in Loch Ness and concluded that the Loch Ness monster might have been just some overgrown eels. Maybe you guys could do a video on the evolution of eels or what kind of prehistoric monsters once roamed Scotland.

  • @Xnaut314
    @Xnaut314 4 роки тому +1

    Something that most people never seem to realize about Chinese dragons is that the basis of their body design and mythology has a living analog: the Chinese Alligator (NOT the Komodo Dragon). Not only do they share a similar base body plan but the deep association with water, not fire, and the ability to become invisible to all but the enlightened matches the lifestyle of an alligator perfectly.

  • @404EncrytedError
    @404EncrytedError 4 роки тому +20

    I needed this for my history class..THANK YOU

    • @Sickvideos19
      @Sickvideos19 4 роки тому

      What did you have to do for history class?

  • @ilustrado7291
    @ilustrado7291 4 роки тому +27

    "Ancient theorists suggests...."

  • @cjthibeau4843
    @cjthibeau4843 4 роки тому

    WOW! One of the most interesting episodes yet! Was hoping yall would get in the Halloween spirit and I always love when the PBS channels collab!!

  • @keselekbakiak
    @keselekbakiak 7 місяців тому +1

    If i remember correctly around yangtze river, there was a record of people finding fossil of long vertebrae , which might inspire the story of dragon.
    And in india around the area presumed to be the place of epic war Mahabharata, there was a history of people finding large bone fossils.
    So it's very possible.

  • @biglil771
    @biglil771 4 роки тому +13

    I have a video suggestion
    Could you talk about the huge variation in lions in the pleistocene and maybe include the Natodomeri lion.

    • @biglil771
      @biglil771 4 роки тому +6

      It was a giant lion found in Kenyan rocks around 200,000 years ago

    • @biglil771
      @biglil771 4 роки тому +6

      The various forms of panthera leo definitely need more discussion

    • @gygy2095
      @gygy2095 4 роки тому +4

      The Natodomeri lion had a basal length of at least 380mm and this minimum estimate provides us with a figure of 460mm as its greatest skull length making it at, least in skull size, as large if not larger than the panther atrox or fossilis.

    • @natodomerilion5392
      @natodomerilion5392 4 роки тому +1

      Hey

    • @biggay8140
      @biggay8140 4 роки тому +1

      Fascinating

  • @MahmoudMohamed-ss4ym
    @MahmoudMohamed-ss4ym 2 роки тому +5

    That is so interesting and explains a lot actually. Few years ago, here in Egypt, an ancient tomb was discovered. The tomb contained fossilized bones for Jurassic animals. And the carvings on the tomb mentioned that these are the bones of god Seth

  • @lordmaxwell1520
    @lordmaxwell1520 3 роки тому

    I am Austrian and my mother grow up near Klagenfurt. So i seen this statue multiple times. It really raised my mood seeing it in one of your videos

    • @bosertheropode5443
      @bosertheropode5443 3 роки тому

      I kumm a aus Kärnten, also sig i den a öfters, von wo kummst denn?

    • @lordmaxwell1520
      @lordmaxwell1520 3 роки тому

      @@bosertheropode5443 Niederösterreich, zwischen Wien und Retz, aber meine Mutter kommt aus Kühnsdorf beim Klopeiner See

  • @daniellane8517
    @daniellane8517 4 роки тому +2

    I'm a little surprised that there was no mention of the present day Oarfish with respect to some Chinese dragons! These fish wash up on shore and are not immediately recognizable as a fish, their ornamentation and color is very similar to the dragons used in Chinese New Year parades, for example, and the mention in this episode of dragons living in the sea makes this connection seem even stronger. An image at this link:
    images.app.goo.gl/h72ojSdfjcPQcok19

  • @Chris3121996
    @Chris3121996 4 роки тому +12

    I'd love multiple Episodes on this Topic since the insights so far been amazing.

    • @JohnZ117
      @JohnZ117 4 роки тому

      @Manophire. com Maybe they are worried that youtube will have problems with it.

  • @gamingxmachina6718
    @gamingxmachina6718 4 роки тому +12

    Keep up the great work pbs eons.

  • @makirby100
    @makirby100 4 роки тому

    Can I say, you are one of my most FAVORITE channels EVER!!! Please keep doing what you are doing!!!

  • @karyldavidkidd7111
    @karyldavidkidd7111 4 роки тому +1

    I am so pleased this channel exists

  • @GothosRedux
    @GothosRedux 4 роки тому +4

    I thought the scientists for this channel would know the difference between a clan shell and a scallop shell.

    • @grafficjam6863
      @grafficjam6863 4 роки тому +1

      Oh bloody hell! “Clam” shell! Clam.

  • @colddrakequeen
    @colddrakequeen 4 роки тому +29

    The word dinosaur is a relatively new word. I suggest that the word “dragon” (and many other mythological creatures) are what we called them before the creation of this word. We just never took the old word out of circulation.

    • @MrAlwaysRight
      @MrAlwaysRight 4 роки тому +2

      Circulation? Circulation of blood is what makes my PP real big.

    • @thestarlight6168
      @thestarlight6168 3 роки тому +1

      @@MrAlwaysRight did not see that coming-

  • @wecantbefriends1660
    @wecantbefriends1660 4 роки тому +2

    Ok but that giant goose at 11:23

  • @jso6790
    @jso6790 4 роки тому

    I do education work at the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, and I theorize (with my young students!) that the preponderance of mythological bulls and bull creatures stems from interactions with the Aurochs, since its range neatly coincides with major bull traditions like Rome, Babylon, Greece, Egypt, etc., and it was HUGE! It is just a theory, but I use it to get the students thinking about the reality that inspired ancient mythologies more generally. (the similarity in bull representations across these various cultures suggests modeling from life, rather than from paleontology)

  • @nina-eh6vg
    @nina-eh6vg 4 роки тому +3

    If you guys released a Podcast oh gosh I'll never leave my room

  • @tylerjames1716
    @tylerjames1716 4 роки тому +6

    8:07 *a pine apple*
    -shows pinecone

  • @OblongPolkaDots
    @OblongPolkaDots 4 роки тому +1

    Your blouse. I need it. As always, excellent video! Thank you for sharing.

  • @Hollandsemum2
    @Hollandsemum2 25 днів тому

    Finally! Somebody's covering this. Years ago I read an article about a woman who theorized that the Greek pantheon of gods and creatures were inspired by found fossils that were misinterpreted. It was so long ago that I can't remember where I read it, or the woman's name. So I've been waiting for info about this, for decades.

  • @bloodsword6577
    @bloodsword6577 4 роки тому +3

    I think in light of your previous video, the obvious one we're missing out on here is the folklore of the puckish little people from Flores and surrounding islands.

  • @bougieratti1519
    @bougieratti1519 4 роки тому +23

    Me: reads Percy Jackson
    Also me: Ah yes, this definitely makes sense.

  • @traceursebas
    @traceursebas 4 роки тому

    Glad you mention Mark Witton’s critique! Props!

  • @RodneyAllanPoe
    @RodneyAllanPoe 3 роки тому +1

    Superb video, as usual. Thanks!

  • @leemaples1806
    @leemaples1806 4 роки тому +3

    What if no large bones of any animal were ever discovered. Would we still have myths of monsters? I`d say not likely.

    • @nicholaslewis8594
      @nicholaslewis8594 4 роки тому +1

      Som speculate werewolves were based on early serial killers and vampire myths on the misunderstanding of human decomposition. When people found corpses that hadn’t decomposed as much a sense they’d expect it was assumed they were vampires.

    • @spindash64
      @spindash64 4 роки тому +1

      Nicholas Lewis
      Iirc, Vampires were also originally associated with Wolves and not bats. Really, you could have a whole series just dedicated to the convoluted origins of stories of the Undead: Vampires, Ghosts, Zombies, Revenants (aka, local man literally too angry to die), and so on

  • @bluemooneatlions
    @bluemooneatlions 4 роки тому +4

    You guys are so good at pronouncing Chinese names this is INCREDIBLE

  • @robbabcock_
    @robbabcock_ 4 роки тому

    Awesome! I'm digging the Halloween tie-in since it's my favorite holiday!

  • @avishalom2000lm
    @avishalom2000lm 4 роки тому

    In ancient Near Eastern religions, a griffon-like supernatural creature was often engraved inside temples and sanctuaries, portrayed as guardians. In the Old Testament they are referred to as "cherubim" (not the cute chubby babies with wings, but more like winged sphinxes). They appear in Genesis guarding the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden, and later are displayed on top of the Ark of the Covenant- which incidentally, was a box coated with solid gold.

  • @AndrewHislop1066
    @AndrewHislop1066 4 роки тому +3

    Dr Zarka.
    Awesome super villain name.

  • @Kairikey
    @Kairikey 4 роки тому +3

    This is such an amazing topic!

  • @29jgirl92
    @29jgirl92 4 роки тому +1

    This is so fascinating!! I could watch hours of this!!

  • @drew-shourd
    @drew-shourd 4 роки тому

    Great video...my favorite spot?....glad you asked....when this amazing presenter said, "...and monsters'...with her hands in the air wiggling her fingers (which I think is sign language for 'spooky'...hahahaha)...great stuff!

  • @MrDisaster88
    @MrDisaster88 4 роки тому +23

    9:00 "One-eyed cyclopes" huh? Doesnt the word cyclopes imply one eye? :P

    • @aalejosetv
      @aalejosetv 4 роки тому

      no. the plural of cyclops is cyclopes, with an e lol

    • @SunogWunk
      @SunogWunk 4 роки тому +3

      Well, "cyclops" translates to "round eye" and not "one eye" as might be believed. So the number of eyes is not given.

    • @zeon_zaku
      @zeon_zaku 4 роки тому +1

      It is believed, that the true etymological breakdown is:
      ku + klops (pku + klops) = cow + thief
      The folk-etymology "round eye" is believed to come from a misreading of the morphemes in the word:
      kykl + ops (kuklos + ops) = circle + eye
      And this is thought, because the word "peku" was lost over time in Greek. So the speakers could not remember the original meaning.

  • @kahlilme2025
    @kahlilme2025 4 роки тому +8

    Eons: Uploads video about monsters inspired by fossils with cyclops in thumbnail.
    Monstrum: Uploads cyclops video literally seconds later.
    Hmmmm

    • @Beryllahawk
      @Beryllahawk 4 роки тому +2

      ....because they are doing a collaboration....? As said in the video...?
      ???

    • @kahlilme2025
      @kahlilme2025 4 роки тому

      @@Beryllahawk I commented this before watching. The Monstrum note popped up as I was tapping the Eons note.

  • @barbarahouk1983
    @barbarahouk1983 4 роки тому

    TY for this episode.

  • @erinrow399
    @erinrow399 4 роки тому

    Ok I love all the learning and I also find the comparison of dragon myth super wonderful. BUT I need to admit I also adore the fun shirt silliness happening with you and the host of the monster show 😍

  • @denistyrant
    @denistyrant 4 роки тому +70

    Dragons: Who are you?
    Dinosaurs: I’m you but real.
    Who else thinks dinosaurs inspired dragons?

    • @nosferatuoddz7974
      @nosferatuoddz7974 4 роки тому

      Me, lol, lol, lol, lolol, yolo.

    • @denistyrant
      @denistyrant 4 роки тому

      乔评论者 Your not alone. But *YOLO*

    • @shinyshoes4312
      @shinyshoes4312 4 роки тому

      Denis Tyrant Dragons are dinosaurs but dinosaurs aren’t dragons.

    • @shinyshoes4312
      @shinyshoes4312 4 роки тому

      Basically, I do.

    • @denistyrant
      @denistyrant 4 роки тому

      Shiny Shoes Dinosaurs did inspired dragons but I get your point.

  • @LadyViscera
    @LadyViscera 4 роки тому +38

    Mythology is basically the same thing as palaeontology.
    Just humans trying to explain how things work.

    • @josephdonais8091
      @josephdonais8091 4 роки тому +2

      ... however advantageous the explanation might have been for the 'local' powers that be at the time

    • @tommycundy
      @tommycundy 4 роки тому

      Isn’t every science ‘just human trying to explain how things work’.

  • @mamapetillo8675
    @mamapetillo8675 Рік тому

    0:56. That backward glance…it seems to say “I’m a stinkin ancient woolly rino! What more do you need from me?”

  • @renatocann5142
    @renatocann5142 4 роки тому

    So good, and gadzooks why is this the first I'm hearing of Monstrum?!? You guys rock