Theories About The Extinction Of Dinosaurs

Theories about the extinction of dinosaurs

One thing is for sure, dinosaurs don’t exist any longer. Now the question is, what happened to them? Did they all die? Did they all leave earth? Many theories have been put forward to explain the disappearance of this magnificent creatures. Some of the various theories proposed include;

The big bang theory

The big bang theory argues that the cause of the extinction of dinosaurs was as a result of an asteroid from space that crashed into earth some 66 million years ago resulting in a chain of event that led to the extinction this amazing creatures. This is the most widely accepted theory of the extinction of dinosaurs as it provides solid proves to back the argument that an asteroid from space was

This was thought to must have been a major contributor to the declining number of dinosaurs on earth before the crash of the asteroid.

The hybrid theory proposed that prolonged volcanic eruption in India caused a decline in the number of dinosaur’s way before the asteroid crash occurred. This theory in essence accepts that the asteroid crash caused the total inhalation of the dinosaurs but argues that the heavy and prolonged volcanic eruption in India had a part to play in the gradual decline in the number of these creatures way back in time before the meteorites came.(National geographic new, February 11,

Frederick proposed that the evolution of toxic plant and the inability of dinosaurs to associate certain plant taste with toxicity or danger already had their number drastically reducing before the asteroid came. “Learned taste aversion” is a defense mechanism animals learnt later on in evolution. It helps animal associate certain taste or consumption of food with danger such as feeling ill or even death.

He backed this hypothesis by proving that the first flowering plants called angiosperms were already in existence as they appeared in fossil record which dated way back before the asteroids came. Gallup claimed that this plant evolved and proliferated to produce toxic forms as a defense mechanism against the dinosaurs, but the dinosaurs continued feeding on them despite the illness and even death it caused. Gallup couldn’t prove for certain when these plants began to develop this toxicity or when they began to proliferate.

Although the asteroid ended the reign of the dinosaurs for good, but the “psychological deficit” of the dinosaurs which prevented them from associating certain taste or food with danger, caused a great declination in their numbers before the big bang.(University of Albany, April 4,