The amount of attention I’ve paid to the world of paleontology has fluctuated over the years, but even during my less interested periods I think it’s pretty accurate to call myself a lifelong dinosaur nerd. I was reading paleontology textbooks when I was like 12 (I still have a lot of them, although most of them are quite out of date now). I don’t really think I have a specific favorite dinosaur honestly, as there are so many that are cool. Tyrannosaurs and dromaeosaurs are groups I’ve kind gravitated towards on the past, but there’s just so many cool and bizarre taxa.
One newer genus I found particularly neat though is Latenivenatrix mcmasterae - the giant northern troodont discovered in Alberta Canada. The known specimen is estimated to have a body length of up to 11.5 feet.
https://i.imgur.com/3il4iR5.jpg
While the actual intelligence of non-avian dinosaurs is up for debate, none of them were likely as smart as, say, a chimpanzee or something. Still, the idea of being hunted by something like Latenivenatrix in the claustrophobic environment of some dark boreal forests is kind of frightening in a cool way to me.