【Deborah Driggs Archives】

Spoilers ahead,Deborah Driggs Archives but they're very small, like Compsognathus.

Chris Pratt has the abs, smile, and square jaw. But the real hero of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is Stiggy the Stygimoloch.

Yes, the adorable dinosaur headbutted its way into our hearts by saving our heroes and kicking villain butt, and yes, Stygimolochwas a real creature.

SEE ALSO: More is more in 'Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom'

The herbivore had a dome on its head, probably for defense against predators and battling each other for mates. Stygimoloch is also an excellent name for a metal band. (Itroughly translates to "Styx demon.")

Another reason Stygimolochwas so badass: It had big horns on its head, which were probably very useful for not getting eaten.

"If you're a T. rexthat wants to bite this guy's head off, you're going to do it with a certain amount of risk," said paleontologist Pete Larson, president of the Black Hills Institute of Geological Research.

It was relatively small, about 3 feet tall at the hip and 7 to 10 feet long. Discovered in North and South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Alberta, and Saskatchewan, it lived alongside some of the greats — Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops, Ornithomimus, and Dakotaraptor — during the late Cretaceous Period. So late, in fact, that it was around during the extinction event that killed off the dinosaurs.

Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

"When the asteroid hit, some of these guys were around to look up at the sky and say, 'Oh crap, what's that?'" joked Larson. (Luckily, Stiggy only had to deal with an active volcano.)

Some paleontologists, including Jack Horner, who served as an adviser to the Jurassic Parkfilms, have theorized Stygimolochwas just a juvenilePachycephalosaurus. Larson disagrees, claiming the number and orientation of their horns are too different.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

OK, get ready for a very minimal spoiler, if you can spoil a movie where a raptor jumps away from an explosion like Bruce Willis in Die Hard.

Remember that scene where Stiggy smashes through a brick wall and prison door to free Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard from their cell?

Via Giphy

It seemed pretty ludicrous. And it was, as far as plot goes. Buuut, actually, said Larson, it might be possible. The dinosaur's thick dome -- made of porous bone -- was a very good shock absorber, so a 200-pound Stygimoloch running full speed could have "potentially" broken down a brick wall. Still, scientists haven't studied the matter, so we can't know for sure.

Not that it should matter. I mean, compared to some other scenes in the movie, the Stiggy jailbreak was very realistic. (Let's not even talk about that blood transfusion.)

Larson said his colleagues often criticize the science in the Jurassic Parkand Jurassic Worldmovies. He doesn't take them so seriously.

"It's a movie," he said. "These things are genetically engineered, they're not necessarily what they were when they were living [in the Cretaceous Period]. Just enjoy it, have fun, and watch these dinosaurs move and do cool things."

Yeah, cool things like smash stuff. Long live Stiggy.

---

Featured Video For You

---

Jeff Goldblum is back in the amazing 'Jurassic World Evolution' video game

---

• Deals
• Tech
• Science
• Social Good
• Entertainment
• Games
• Life
• Shopping

• Best smartwatch deal: Save 44% on CMF Watch Pro for $38.90 at Amazon
• After historic vote, Ireland poised to end abortion ban
• Great news, adults: Chuck E. Cheese will now deliver pizza
• 'Pokémon Quest' is a new boxy game for Nintendo Switch and mobile
• Contingent No More
• 'The Walking Dead' star Andrew Lincoln reportedly will exit during Season 9
• Drake's new single, 'I'm Upset,' isn't going over well among fans
• The LG V35 is landing in June with AI tricks and great specs
• Waymo data shows humans are terrible drivers compared to AI
• Snapchat might soon offer an alternative to 'login with Facebook'

• Snack meditation: How to practice mindfulness while eating a fry
• Apple doubles storage in Mac Mini
• This poor dude fell during his prom entrance and the internet can't stop laughing
• Facebook servers face 'melt down' amid huge spike in WhatsApp calls
• This Donald Trump interview transcript has a whole lot of 'unintelligible' in it
• Kerry Washington and Reese Witherspoon can't heat up watered
• Tesla has to shut down its Fremont factory, sheriff says
• Emergency fund launches to help nannies and house cleaners during coronavirus pandemic
• Olympian shares touching moment she discovers she's won a medal 9 years later
• Coronavirus forces people battling addiction to get support online

• Inside the Murky Process of Getting Games on Steam
• The Apple Watch may be getting a Pride Month watch face at WWDC
• Captain America's 'Infinity War' phone number was supposed to be real
• Driverless shuttles will beat other autonomous vehicles to the road
• President Trump says semiconductor tariffs are next
• Great news, adults: Chuck E. Cheese will now deliver pizza
• California tests digital license plates
• 6 minor 'Game of Thrones' characters who might have an impact on Season 8
• Best grocery deal: Spend $20 and get $5 off at Amazon
• Puerto Rico deaths from Hurricane Maria may be undercounted by 1000s

• Norrie vs. Diallo 2025 livestream: Watch Madrid Open for free
• Soccer player takes to Instagram to defend gun tattoo
• Why summer is hell for people who wear glasses
• Snapchat now lets you share or request location in chat
• How to Secure Your Android Phone and Get the Most Out of Smart Lock
• Amazon Echo Dot Kids review: Save your money and buy a regular Dot
• YouTube deletes music videos created by gangs to 'incite violence'
• 'Roseanne' reruns pulled after racist tweet
• 'The Last of Us' Season 2, episode 5: The spores are here!
• 'The Walking Dead' star Andrew Lincoln reportedly will exit during Season 9