Uploaded April 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The Ballad of Big Al (also known as Allosaurus: A Walking with Dinosaurs Special) was the first Walking With Dinosaurs special episode to air. This fantastic documentary follows a real Allosaurus jimmadseni specimen called 'Big Al', showing how it suffered the numerous injuries discovered across its skeleton and depicting this dinosaur's life using a brilliant mix of CGI and animatronics. More than 24 years on, how has the science in this episode (and the accompanying Big Al Uncovered) held up?
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Social Media:
►Instagram: bit.ly/1PIEagv
►TikTok: tiktok.com/@bengthomas
►Twitter: twitter.com/BenGThomas42
►Subreddit: reddit.com/r/BenGThomas
Sources:
docs.google.com/document/d/1fQsyjgx5HVvMt_mJCfU-92wxVXgDyHNcTunM7kBNCZA/edit?usp=sharing
0:00 - Intro
2:06 - Allosaurus introduction
3:15 - Allosaurus adult life appearance
9:45 - Allosaurus juvenile life appearance
11:19 - Hatching and parental care
15:52 - Allosaurus growth
20:14 - Allosaurus hunting and feeding
28:00 - Metabolic rate
29:22 - Big Al's injuries and death
32:49 - Apatosaurus and Diplodocus
36:50 - Brachiosaurus
38:28 - Ornitholestes
40:05 - Stegosaurus
43:19 - 'Othnielia' (Nanosaurus) and Dryosaurus
46:04 - Anurognathus
47:26 - Paramacellodus lizard
48:04 - Axolotls
48:36 - Invertebrates
49:14 - Environment of the Morrison Formation
51:11 - Conclusions
The Ballad of Big Al (also known as Allosaurus: A Walking with Dinosaurs Special) was the first Walking With Dinosaurs special episode to air. This fantastic documentary follows a real Allosaurus jimmadseni specimen called 'Big Al', showing how it suffered the numerous injuries discovered across its skeleton and depicting this dinosaur's life using a brilliant mix of CGI and animatronics. More than 24 years on, how has the science in this episode (and the accompanying Big Al Uncovered) held up?
Become a Channel Member or support us on Patreon for behind-the-scenes, bloopers, extra adventures and more!
Become a Member: youtube.com/channel/UCDSzwZqgtJEnUzacq3ddoOQ/join
Join our Patreon: patreon.com/7daysofscience
Love science? Love notebooks?
Get 10% off notebooks and planners at Atoms to Astronauts: atomstoastronauts.com/discount/BENGTHOMAS10
Join our Discord server: discord.gg/jTsGYtRBHZ
Follow us on Instagram: bit.ly/1PIEagv
Follow us on TikTok: tiktok.com/@bengthomas
Music by Geographer
Subscribe to explore the wonderful life around you!
Social Media:
►Instagram: bit.ly/1PIEagv
►TikTok: tiktok.com/@bengthomas
►Twitter: twitter.com/BenGThomas42
►Subreddit: reddit.com/r/BenGThomas
Sources:
docs.google.com/document/d/1fQsyjgx5HVvMt_mJCfU-92wxVXgDyHNcTunM7kBNCZA/edit?usp=sharing
0:00 - Intro
2:06 - Allosaurus introduction
3:15 - Allosaurus adult life appearance
9:45 - Allosaurus juvenile life appearance
11:19 - Hatching and parental care
15:52 - Allosaurus growth
20:14 - Allosaurus hunting and feeding
28:00 - Metabolic rate
29:22 - Big Al's injuries and death
32:49 - Apatosaurus and Diplodocus
36:50 - Brachiosaurus
38:28 - Ornitholestes
40:05 - Stegosaurus
43:19 - 'Othnielia' (Nanosaurus) and Dryosaurus
46:04 - Anurognathus
47:26 - Paramacellodus lizard
48:04 - Axolotls
48:36 - Invertebrates
49:14 - Environment of the Morrison Formation
51:11 - Conclusions
