Dinosaurs in Fantasy?

[Nimue]

Sounds like a fun idea, but another scientific issue springs to mind--the climate during, for instance, the Cretaceous and during the Middle Ages were vastly different. If we're talking about the typical Northern European setting, how are giant cold-blooded lizards able to survive in a wintry world? Do they have feathers? Is there some magical element at work? (And then we're into dragon territory.)

An issue as simple as that is difficult to hand-wave, assuming that the laws of biology in this world are similar to our own.

 

[evolution_rex]

That aspect of science I wouldn't follow, as fantasy often has worlds where there are exotic animals in lands they don't belong in, but I definitely wouldn't put any dinosaurs in cold areas. Mainly the hot and tropical.

 

[X Equestris]

Sounds like a fun idea, but another scientific issue springs to mind--the climate during, for instance, the Cretaceous and during the Middle Ages were vastly different. If we're talking about the typical Northern European setting, how are giant cold-blooded lizards able to survive in a wintry world? Do they have feathers? Is there some magical element at work? (And then we're into dragon territory.)

An issue as simple as that is difficult to hand-wave, assuming that the laws of biology in this world are similar to our own.

Dinosaurs were neither warm nor cold blooded.

Dinosaurs neither warm-blooded nor cold-blooded : Nature News & Comment

 

[Nimue]

Huh, that's interesting! I still don't think they would thrive in a Northern European environment, though.

 

[Saigonnus]

Just think. They would have had an extra 65 million years to adapt to the changing climate. If you assume they are smaller, feathers or an internal "heating" system might evolve in that time.


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[valiant12]

Sounds like a fun idea, but another scientific issue springs to mind--the climate during, for instance, the Cretaceous and during the Middle Ages were vastly different. If we're talking about the typical Northern European setting, how are giant cold-blooded lizards able to survive in a wintry world? Do they have feathers? Is there some magical element at work? (And then we're into dragon territory.)

An issue as simple as that is difficult to hand-wave, assuming that the laws of biology in this world are similar to our own.

I see this as an advantage- one more reason to not use the overused north european setting.

 

[evolution_rex]

Fantasy also often includes animals in environments they wouldn't belong in, like Chronicles of Narnia. So if someone goes that route, I don't see that as an issue.

 

[X Equestris]

This might give some insight into dinosaurs living in relatively cold climates:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Polar_dinosaurs