Podcast Summary
But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids
Episode Title: How did bird dinosaurs survive the meteor?
Host: Jane Lindholm (Vermont Public)
Guest: Dr. Emily Bamforth, Paleontologist & Curator at the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum, Alberta
Date: February 20, 2026
Overview
This episode dives into one of the biggest mysteries of natural history, investigating how some dinosaurs managed to survive the catastrophic meteor impact 66 million years ago, eventually giving rise to modern birds. Host Jane Lindholm is joined by paleontologist Dr. Emily Bamforth, who answers burning questions from curious kids about dinosaur ancestors, extinction, survival strategies, and the continued existence of dinosaurs in the form of birds. The conversation covers mass extinctions, evolutionary links between reptiles and birds, and the exciting ongoing discoveries in the world of paleontology.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Defining Dinosaurs & Their Ancestors
[02:43–04:53]
- Paleontology defined: The study of fossils, not just dinosaurs but all ancient life forms.
- Many reptiles that lived alongside dinosaurs (like plesiosaurs, mosasaurs, and pterosaurs) were not actually dinosaurs.
- Dinosaurs, crocodiles, birds, and some other reptiles share a distant, crocodile-like ancestor.
- Dr. Bamforth: “Based on what we know from the fossil record, we think that dinosaurs and crocodiles had the same ancestor... maybe a little bit of a skinny crocodile that maybe could have gotten up and walked on two legs.” [05:13]
Mammals vs. Dinosaurs
[06:03–07:28]
- Mammals and dinosaurs are separate evolutionary groups, but mammals lived alongside dinosaurs (they just stayed small).
- Crocodiles and birds are more closely related to each other than to lizards—part of a group called archosaurs.
What Killed the Dinosaurs?: The Mass Extinction
[10:25–11:54]
- The prevailing theory since the 1980s: a massive meteor (bolide) impact in the Yucatán Peninsula caused global catastrophe—fires, acid rain, blocked sunlight, and ecosystem collapse.
- Dr. Bamforth: “So we know from the mass extinction that nothing big survived. So nothing bigger than basically like a golden retriever dog survived. So all the big things went extinct… There probably would have been what we call a nuclear winter—all of that ash and the ejecta... would have blocked out the sun.” [10:25]
- Only small, adaptable creatures survived.
Survivors of the Mass Extinction
[12:10–14:34]
- Survivors were small, adaptable animals, “generalists” able to eat a variety of foods.
- Animals with the ability to escape the immediate effects, like those living in water or underground (turtles, mammals, insects), had an advantage.
- Some kinds of luck were also involved—random chance played a part.
How Did Some Dinosaurs Survive to Become Birds?
[15:03–16:23]
- Only small-bodied avian (“bird”) dinosaurs survived.
- Adaptations: small size, varied diets, flight (mobility), seed-eating capability, and warm-bloodedness.
- Dr. Bamforth: “The smaller you are, the better your chances. Most of those birds were small... they could eat seeds, insects, fish, or even carrion... birds can also fly, so they could get out of bad areas.” [15:03]
Birds ARE Dinosaurs
[17:17–18:10]
- Birds are not just descended from dinosaurs—they ARE a type of dinosaur (theropods).
- Physical similarities: scaly feet, claws, feathers.
- Dr. Bamforth: “Birds are actually dinosaurs. Birds are the dinosaurs that didn’t go extinct in that mass extinction.” [17:17]
- Not all dinosaurs became birds, but all birds are technically dinosaurs.
Evolutionary Relationships
[18:10–19:58]
- All living birds trace their ancestry to small, two-legged, mainly meat-eating theropod dinosaurs (e.g., Velociraptor, T. Rex).
- Herbivorous dinosaurs (Triceratops, Stegosaurus) are more distantly related to birds.
Dinosaur Feathers: How Do We Know?
[20:27–22:08]
- Fossil evidence has revealed feathers on dinosaur skeletons (notably Archaeopteryx in Germany and many later finds in China).
- Dr. Bamforth: “The reason that we know that dinosaurs had feathers is because we have found dinosaur skeletons with the feathers still attached.” [20:27]
- New discoveries in the last 20–30 years have revolutionized our understanding.
Dinosaur Eggs & Reproduction
[22:33–23:54]
- All dinosaurs likely laid hard-shelled eggs, like their reptilian ancestors and like modern birds.
- Dinosaur eggs were composed mainly of calcium, similar to bird eggs, but were often much thicker.
Ongoing Mysteries & Discoveries
[24:27–26:23]
- Distinguishing male from female dinosaurs is a current challenge—unlike in mammals, dinosaur skeleton differences are very subtle.
- Much remains unknown about dinosaur behavior, species numbers, and even some physical characteristics like color.
Paleontology in Alberta & “Big Sam”
[26:23–29:42]
- Alberta is a hot spot for dinosaur fossils, due to ancient seaways and ideal conditions for fossilization.
- “Big Sam” is a nearly complete Pachyrhinosaurus skull discovered by Dr. Bamforth—an exciting and challenging find.
- Dr. Bamforth: “It is actually like an adrenaline rush... your heart is pounding and you get so, so excited... and then you step back and you’re like, oh, well, now we actually have to get this thing out of the ground without breaking it, which is the next step.” [28:50]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Dinosaur Survivors:
“Birds are actually dinosaurs. Birds are the dinosaurs that didn’t go extinct in that mass extinction.” — Dr. Emily Bamforth [17:17] -
On What Allowed Survival:
“The smaller you are, the better your chances of surviving a mass extinction…” — Dr. Emily Bamforth [15:03] -
On Dinosaur Feathers:
“We have found dinosaur skeletons with the feathers still attached. The first one... was the Archaeopteryx.” — Dr. Emily Bamforth [20:27] -
On the Emotion of Discovery:
“It is actually like an adrenaline rush... your heart is pounding and you get so, so excited…” — Dr. Emily Bamforth (on finding Big Sam) [28:50]
Key Timestamps
- [02:43] — Introduction of Dr. Emily Bamforth and overview of paleontology
- [05:13] — Dinosaur and crocodile ancestors; how they are related
- [07:35] — Archosaurs: group including crocodiles, birds, and dinosaurs
- [10:25] — Explanation of the asteroid impact and mass extinction event
- [12:10–13:33] — Traits and types of animals that survived the extinction
- [15:03] — How avian (bird) dinosaurs survived the meteor impact
- [17:17–18:10] — Birds as living dinosaurs; evolutionary links
- [20:27–21:39] — Fossil evidence for feathers on dinosaurs
- [22:33–23:54] — Why dinosaurs laid eggs and characteristics of dinosaur eggs
- [24:27–26:23] — Open questions and ongoing research in paleontology
- [27:25–29:42] — The discovery and excavation of “Big Sam,” a major dinosaur fossil find in Alberta
Tone & Language
The tone is direct, enthusiastic, and educational—Dr. Bamforth explains scientific concepts in ways accessible to children and adults alike, celebrating the mysteries still left to solve. Jane Lindholm steers the conversation with curiosity and warmth, asking questions that amplify listeners’ natural wonder.
Conclusion
This episode of But Why explores the enduring mysteries of dinosaurs, focusing on how and why birds survived the mass extinction that killed off their dinosaur relatives. Dr. Emily Bamforth provides clear explanations, fascinating details, and uncovers the human excitement behind paleontological discovery. Listeners are left with a sense of awe and the understanding that science is a living, ongoing process—there’s still so much to discover about the ancient world beneath our feet.