8-1 The Threat Of Triceratops

If there's an animal whose scent would frighten a T-Rex, it's Triceratops. It represents what happens when you evolve something that can stand up to the power of Tyrannosaurus Rex. Triceratops is the most dangerous dinosaur, probably the most dangerous animal ever to have evolved on land. on land.

This plant eater is a hulking four-legged creature, 26 feet long, 10 feet high, weighing six tons.

Triceratops is an amazing animal simply because it was absolutely enormous. They had this big, massive body with a big gut. So, you know, we're talking of an animal that's maybe four or five tons. A triceratops is half as tall as a T-Rex, yet it weighs about the same. The difference is how that weight is distributed.

Its back legs are straight like a rhino. Its front legs splay out like a lizard. This design pushes its center of gravity toward the business end, its head, a head that weighs 1,000 pounds. The bottom line, when a Triceratops digs in, it's not going anywhere. This bulldozer is built for a direct frontal attack.

This powerful head and shoulders protect a body covered in a hide so soft, a T-Rex could slice right through. Triceratops have this wonderful protective thing on the front of its head. It's got a frill that protects its neck, that protects its neck, one of the most vulnerable places on the animal. The frill is solid bone, six times thicker than a human skull.

To foil an opponent, it's strongest at the edges. This frill forms an almost impenetrable shield, one able to repel the most powerful jaws the Earth has ever known. The frill, the bone over the neck is that thick. It's in several layers. And it's a composite armor. On top would be a thick layer of fingernail-like skin, almost impossible to bite through.

This four-legged monster is well-protected and dangerous. The triceratops is heavily armed and heavily armored and can kill you.