3216: Bazookasaurus

2026-03-06T15:11:01Z

2A00:23C8:F529:1301:3C8B:40D6:8D7:D3A4: /* Explanation */ rm superfluous word

{{comic
| number = 3216
| date = March 6, 2026
| title = Bazookasaurus
| image = bazookasaurus_2x.png
| imagesize = 315x274px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = In contrast to the deep booming sound associated with the cannon in pop culture depictions, recent studies show it actually made more of a 'toot toot!' noise.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created ~240 mya, but not for the reasons previously thought. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

As with [[3185:_Sauropods]], this comic relates to the reinterpretation of fossil remains on the basis of new evidence, resulting in radical new understandings of the creatures involved.

Various dinosaurs developed impressive-looking {{w|Thagomizer|spikes}}, plates, and the like, and the historical assumption has tended to be that these were used as offensive or defensive measures in conflicts with other dinosaurs. However, in some cases, later evidence has cast doubt on this, suggesting that the structures would have been too fragile or immobile to serve the purpose. Instead, it has been proposed that they may have been developed as a means of display, perhaps through a process of {{w|Fisherian_runaway|runaway selection}}.

This comic shows a Bazookasaurus, a fictitious dinosaur, which apparently developed a structure that bears a remarkable resemblance to a {{w|bazooka}} mounted on its back. Paleontologists supposedly believed that this was an actual functioning bazooka that was used by the animal, despite some rather obvious that would be presented to it in terms of acquiring, loading, and firing ammunition. Further study has shown that the structure would not have been robust enough to stand up to the forces involved in firing a bazooka, so could not have served that purpose, leading to a revision of understanding.

Vascularization studies (studies of veins) often demonstrate that specific tissues, disease-related vessels, or developmental structures are fragile. This means they are highly susceptible to damage, rupture, leakage or hemorrhage. A Bazooka wouldn't typically have veins in it, so a vascularization study would show that there isn't enough bloodflow.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

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3216: Bazookasaurus