Meta Description: Dinosaurs evolved from other reptiles during the Triassic period. Dinosaurs left Earth a million years ago due to a meteor strike, which led to their extinction.
Introduction
Dinosaurs left Earth approximately 65 million years ago, at the end of the Cretaceous Period. It is also believed that these creatures existed on Earth for a very long time, about 165 million years.
However, evidence suggests that the sole reason all dinosaurs were killed and became extinct was the asteroid impact. Graham explained that a massive amount of heat was released by the meteor strike, leading to a remarkable rise in temperature. Thus, it is somehow perceived that the meteor strike was one of the primary reasons for the extinction of dinosaurs.
Although volcanic eruptions also disrupted their existence, some scientists believe that the extreme climate changes and food shortage on Earth compelled dinosaurs to leave our precious planet. Let us see more details on dinosaurs and their extinction from Earth.
Who were Dinosaurs?
Dinosaurs were a group of reptiles or archosaurs that co-existed on Earth for a very long duration of 165 million years. When they existed on Earth, they dominated the entire planet with their presence. They were massive and ferocious.
How Did Dinosaurs Evolve?
Dinosaurs evolved from other reptiles during the Triassic period, over 230 million years ago. It is believed that Socket-Toothed Archosaurs significantly contributed to the evolution of dinosaurs.
Dinosaurs Communities
The communities of Dinosaurs were separated by geography and time. The Mesozoic Era, termed ‘The Age of Dinosaurs’, included three geological time periods: The Jurassic, Triassic, and Cretaceous Periods. Numerous Dinosaurs lived during all the three periods in the single supercontinent, Pangea.
Some Dinosaurs got extinct before the others. For instance, the Jurassic Dinosaurs went extinct 80 million years before the Cretaceous Dinosaurs existed. If we calculate, the time separating the Jurassic and Cretaceous dinosaurs is greater than the time separating Cretaceous dinosaurs and humans.
Important Facts About Dinosaurs
- Dinosaurs used to live on all continents. All these continents were arranged together and were collectively called Pangea (single supercontinent). However, after the existence of dinosaurs for 165 million years, they started getting extinct.
- It is certainly not known what made dinosaurs grow so big. Perhaps, their large body size protected them from most predators and allowed them to reach food sources easily. No modern animals except blue whales are even close to the size of dinosaurs.
- More than 700 species of dinosaurs roamed the land and flew in the skies. Some species of dinosaurs were herbivorous, whereas others were carnivorous.
- The word dinosaurs was derived from an English paleontologist
- called Richard Owen. ‘Dino’ means terrible, and ‘Saurus’ means lizard. Both the words came from Greek (Dino and Saurus), collectively meaning a terrible lizard in English.
- Some dinosaurs were warm-blooded, whereas most modern reptiles, including crocodiles and turtles, are ectothermic or cold-blooded.
- All dinosaurs did not leave the Earth simultaneously. The extinction process went on for several centuries.
- The word ‘dinosaur’ only applies to land-dwelling reptiles, implying that Pterosaurs and marine reptiles were not considered dinosaurs.
- Modern birds come under dinosaur species as they share a common ancestor with non-avian dinosaurs.
- One of the most huge dinosaurs was Argentinosaurus, whereas the most ferocious ones were Tyrannosaurus.
- Many reptiles including lizards, snakes, turtles, crocodiles, and few others are from the dinosaur family.
FAQs
What is the major theory describing the reason for dinosaurs extinction?
The devastating asteroid impact, intense volcanic activity, gradual climate change, and food shortage triggered the worst mass extinction of dinosaurs in history. Not only dinosaurs, but many other life forms also disappeared since these changes occurred.
Did humans come first or dinosaurs?
Humans were not present at the time of dinosaurs. Humans came into existence 65 million years after the extinction of dinosaurs. However, small mammals and other creatures, including shrew-size primates, amphibians, crocodiles, arthropods, bony fishes, horseshoe crabs, synapsids, sharks, lobsters, and other aquatic animals co-existed at that time.
Can the dinosaurs come back?
It has been 66 million years since the extinction of dinosaurs. It does not seem possible that any dinosaur DNA still exists on Earth after so many centuries. Hence, the return of dinosaurs to our planet is quite impossible. However, the Dinosaur bones can survive millions of years.
What does the Bible say about dinosaurs?
Dinosaurs must have been created by god, according to the Bible. Their creation must be done on the 6th day, as per Genesis 1:24 in the Bible.
Are there any dinosaurs still present on Earth?
Birds come under the theropod group of dinosaurs. They survived the mass extinction of dinosaurs and evolved themselves. It is hard to believe that these delicate amphibians survived the change in climatic conditions and the asteroid strike.
