Animal-behaviour Quote by Michael Crichton
““Why did Dodgson just stand there like that? That's not the way to act around predators. You get caught around lions, you make a lot of noise, wave your hands around, throw things at them. Try to scare them off. You don't just stand there." "He probably read the wrong research paper. There's been a theory going around that tyrannosaurs can only see movement. A guy named Roxton made casts of rex braincases, and concluded tyrannosaurs had the brain of a frog." "Roxton is an idiot. He doesn't know enough anatomy to have sex with his wife. His paper was a joke." "What paper?" "Roxton believed that tyrannosaurs had a visual system like an amphibian: like a frog. A frog sees motion but doesn't see stillness. But it is quite impossible that a predator such as a tyrannosaur would have a visual system that worked that way. Quite impossible. Because the most common defence of prey animals is to freeze. A deer or something like that, it senses danger and it freezes. A predator has to be able to see them anyway. And of course a tyrannosaur could.””
About This Quote
Source Film: Jurassic Park, 1993
The dialogue satirizes flawed scientific theories about dinosaur vision, highlighting the absurdity of ignoring basic predator‑prey dynamics.
In simple terms: Scientists sometimes make ridiculous claims about dinosaur senses.
Question assumptions and seek solid evidence.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- museum exhibits
- educational videos
- science classrooms
- popular media discussions
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we differentiate credible science from entertaining myth?
- What evidence would convincingly refute the motion‑only vision claim?
The humor may oversimplify complex research, leading to misunderstandings.