The film changed the whole potential of the field, and we’re reaping the benefits of that because there are so many people of my generation all around the world that were so enthused by the film. A rising star in paleontology, Steve Brusatte 13GSAS has discovered ten new species of dinosaurs and led several expeditions. I think dinosaur paleontology right now would still be a really niche discipline, with only a handful of people around the world studying it, and probably not a very diverse group of people. So I do think there is a really, really good chance I wouldn’t have my job today if the book was never written, if the movie was never made. In a stunning narrative spanning more than 200 million years, Steve Brusatte, a young American paleontologist who has emerged as one of the foremost stars of the field, masterfully tells the complete, surprising, and new history of the dinosaurs, drawing on cutting-edge science to dramatically bring to life their lost world and illuminate their enigmatic origins, spectacular flourishing. A lot of my colleagues got jobs specifically because of Jurassic Park, because a museum of university wanted to hire a paleontologist after that.
A lot of universities put out courses, and a lot more interest and money in the field. It reignited this interest in dinosaurs, and that led directly to a lot of museums putting out dinosaur exhibits. It was so different than the dinosaurs I read about in my books in school, and that was great. This introduced dinosaurs to a whole new generation, and this newer image of dinosaurs as an active, energetic, and intelligent animal. That led to an explosion of public interest in dinosaurs. I think the first Jurassic Park was the best thing that’s ever happened to dinosaur paleontology.