Dinolympics

Last week kicked off the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada, and as we all know Canada has some really fantastic dinosaur deposits. In fact, one of my favorite dinosaurs, the tyrannosaur Albertosaurus, hails from the province right next door to the one in which this year's Olympics are being held. Maybe it is a bit of a stretch, but I can't help but wonder which Olympic event Albertosaurus might excel at if it could compete.

I don't imagine that curling or luge would allow Albertosaurus to make the best of its talents, and the biathalon might be dangerous since the other competitors would be packing heat, but if the dinosaur could pull it off I think Albertosaurus could deliver one of the most fantastic figure skating routines ever seen. The stride of Albertosaurus might give it an edge in the cross-country skiing event, too, although judges would have to make sure none of the other competitors mysteriously disappear.

Riley Black | | READ MORE

Riley Black is the author of The Last Days of the Dinosaurs and many other books. She is a science correspondent for Smithsonian magazine covering fossils and natural history, and she writes about the prehistoric past for a variety of publications.