Authors: Victoria Coules and Michael J. Benton
In 1824, English naturalist William Buckland formally described Megalosaurus — the first dinosaur to be scientifically named — marking a pivotal moment in the emergence of modern paleontology.
Since then, dinosaurs have become popular visual icons, from displays of skeletons and paintings in museums to hyperrealistic animations in films and documentaries.
Images of dinosaurs are everywhere, yet tensions have long existed between paleontologists and the artists and designers who create them.
