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AxialGem t1_j280eb6 wrote

I think there is, right? We have skin impressions, and pigment can in fact be preserved, like in feather fossils we have. It's rare for sure, because it requires excellent preservation, but there are absolutely ways we can know

See also: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinosaur_coloration

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zav3rmd OP t1_j280hnu wrote

Tried to Google it. Says that skin is rarely intact all the more the color.

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AxialGem t1_j280ohy wrote

Yea, true. As I say, very rare. But possible. It's also not beyond the realm of possibility that better techniques for analysing fossils we already have will grant us a better idea in the future.

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dan_dares t1_j281zsx wrote

Skin is rarely intact but we have examples, so we can tell what the texture of those examples was.

However you are right that currently we cannot determine the pigmentation.

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yirzmstrebor t1_j2ck5bt wrote

We can, in fact, determine the coloration of dinosaurs , given well-preserved specimens. Most of these have been pigmentation of feathers. Microraptor had iridescent black feathers like modern crows, Anchiornis had black, white and grey feathers all over its body and a crest of dark red or ochre feathers on its head, and Sinosauropteryx had rusty orange feathers over its body and white rings on its tail. However, we have been able to discern the pigmentation of a couple of non-feathered dinosaurs. Psittacosaurus was counter-shaded (dark back, pale belly) and had stripes and spots resembling camouflage patterns seen in some modern animals such as certain deer. Borealopelta was also counter-shaded in shades of brown.

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dan_dares t1_j2cosn6 wrote

I love it when I learn something new.

Thank you!

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Yeoldhomie t1_j28s1ea wrote

Ah the nuance of a brain developed by the first page of google

Stupid ass

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MutedBrilliant1593 t1_j285g83 wrote

I believe we can backtrack the fossil record to get reasonable ideas, but yes, unless we clone a perfect sample or invent a time machine, certainty seems quite difficult.

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zav3rmd OP t1_j285jln wrote

I was actually thinking if we develop a warp drive and go to a place a million light years away and then look at earth using a telescope then we can see.

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Mindofmierda90 t1_j2c9t6w wrote

That’s not quite the way it works.

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zav3rmd OP t1_j2c9urr wrote

How so?

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Mindofmierda90 t1_j2caa87 wrote

The telescope itself would have to be light years wide, and you wouldn’t see images. The light from 65 million years ago, but no, it wouldn’t be like watching a video.

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Hiding_behind_you t1_j280cl3 wrote

We could, I dunno, look at reptile skins of creatures that are alive today, that might give us some clues.

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zav3rmd OP t1_j280ewl wrote

Valid but still. It could be anything

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Hiding_behind_you t1_j2812ny wrote

No, not anything - there’s a set number of real-world, current examples we can base our ideas on.

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zav3rmd OP t1_j2814xc wrote

Ya but the dinosaurs are different from our current reptiles in a lot of ways. Why can't skin color be one of them.

Edit: chameleons are reptiles. So dinosaurs can have chameleon skins too?

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Ok-Citron4261 t1_j281d7b wrote

Additionally, dinosaurs actually seem to be much closer to birds than reptiles now.

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zav3rmd OP t1_j281zif wrote

So then by that argument of "closer" it only makes more sense that dinosaur skin may be more colorful than we thought?

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Ok-Citron4261 t1_j2885c0 wrote

No, it means that dinosaurs most likely have soft skin and had feathers.

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QutieLuvsQuails t1_j29di5o wrote

I think of it more by environment. It’s unlikely that a bright orange dinosaur would be living in a rainforest, where it needs to use camouflage, for either hunting or hiding.

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Showerthoughts_Mod t1_j28040x wrote

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[deleted] t1_j2872fm wrote

[removed]

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GoblinKingLeonard t1_j2875wi wrote

But seriously check out the Dino mummy. It’s an extremely fascinating paleontological discovery.

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Yeoldhomie t1_j28scrz wrote

Everything was black n white until my parents were 30 idk what you’re talking about

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