Theories Explaining the Demise of the Dinosaurs
The chapter of life which saw the rise of the dinosaurs is one of the most fascinating periods in our earth’s history. It is often the subject which brings about young children’s first exposure to science. When these children learn about these intriguing prehistoric beasts, one of their primary inquiries concerns the cause of their annihilation. What could have led to the demise of all those creatures, who lived very successfully for millions of years? This question has plagued experts and curious children alike for decades. In the early 1990s, a “smoking gun” was discovered – purported to solve the mystery of how the dinosaurs met their fate. This discovery was the Chicxulub crater in Yucatan, Mexico. The claim was that this 180 kilometer crater was the impact scar left by an asteroid that collided with the earth. The asteroid was so large and landed with such force that it effectively ended the dinosaurs reign over the earth. However, recent evidence and research reported in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that this could not have been the case, because the Chicxulab crater predates the mass extinction by roughly 300,000 years. Rather, the evidence suggests that two or more impacts caused the mass extinction experienced by dinosaurs.
Fossil records inform us that the mass extinction occurred 65 million years ago. This landmark coincides with and marks the Cretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) boundary. There appeared to be relative consensus among scientific professionals that an asteroid impact caused the mass extinction. According to this theory, “debris from the asteroid’s impact would have superheated the atmosphere so that vegetation burst i...
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...osaur Impact Theory Challenged. Internet: http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/mpapps/pagetools/print/news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3520837.stm
iv[4] Morgan, Jason. Chicxulub Impact Predates the K-T Boundary Mass Extinction. January 20, 2004. Page 9
v[5] Enchanted Learning. Dinosaur Extinction. Location of the Impact Crater.
Internet: http://www.cooldinos.com/subjects/dinosaurs/extinction/Asteroid.html
vi[6] Rincon, Paul. Dinosaur Impact Theory Challenged. Internet: http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/mpapps/pagetools/print/news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3520837.stm
vii[7] Ibid
viii[8] Enchanted Learning. Dinosaur Extinction. The K-T Extinction.
Internet: http://www.cooldinos.com/subjects/dinosaurs/extinction/Asteroid.html
ix[9] Highfield, Roger. Dinosaur Extinction Theory ‘A Myth.’ The Telegraph – UK. March 1, 2004. Internet: http://www.rense.com/general49/tho.htm
The possibility if a meteor strike as the cause of extinctions is discarded, something that most specialists agree on. There is no evidence of any meteor crater big enough or recent enough to be accountable for it; there are no “elements that are common extraterrestrially but less so on Earth, such as iridium, and no sign of a tsunami or other phenomena following the impact.” The extinctions where also very selective and occurred over a very long period of time. If a “one shot” catastrophe had been the cause it would have affected all species at the same time and in similar
Paul, Gregory S. (2002). "Looking for the True Bird Ancestor". Dinosaurs of the Air: The Evolution and Loss of Flight in Dinosaurs and Birds. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 171–224. ISBN 0-8018-6763-0.
The question of what caused the extinction of megafauna during the Late Pleistocene period is one that archaeologists have struggled to answer for decades, but why should it matter? Discovering with certainty the cause of megafaunal extinction would simultaneously prove or disprove any of the proposed implications of each existing theory regarding this massive extinction.
The Permian-Triassic Extinction is a mass extinction that occurred between the Permian and Triassic geologic time periods approximately 250 million years ago; it is the deadliest of all extinctions that have occurred on Earth. In addition, during the Permian-Triassic extinction the continents of today existed as one supercontinent known as Pangaea. This was the first time in history where continental or land mass exceeded that of the ocean. This was also before dinosaurs of the Triassic period roamed Earth, during this time animals such as the therapsids, and Synapsids such as the Pelycosaurs, insects and amphibians also occupied Earth. Fauna that existed during the Permian period includes Gymnosperms, or seed producing plants such as the Conifers. Other animals that existed during this time include marine life such as brachiopods (clams), bryozoans (coral-like skeletons), bony fish and sharks, as well as crinoids (sea urchin like creatures). According to National Geographic, about 90 percent of all the animals and fauna of this period perished, the marine life was hit the hardest wi...
What prompts Sarty to betray his own moral character is his fear of Abner, who he describes as the “black, flat, and bloodless . . . voice harsh like tin and without heat like tin”(279). Time and again, Sarty has witnesse...
We use dinosaurs to represent the changes in nature that have occurred throughout time. Studies found that although the “oldest rock did not show evidence of life, the progression of plant and animal life that changed in recognizable intervals, from ancient life, age of reptiles to the age of mammals” (Dino Nature Metaphor, slide 6), measured the age of the earth. When we think of dinosaurs in relation to nature, we think of that very powerful force that controls the cycle of life. Nature was able to yield such magnificent ferocious creatures that walked the earth and then take them back when they served nature’s purpose. Dinosaurs fit perfectly in nature’s constant
Sarty thinking in his heart “…. I could keep on, he thought. I could run on and on and never look back, never need to see his face again. Only I can't. I can't, the rusted can in his hand now, the liquid sploshing in it as he ran back to the house and into it, into the sound of his mother's weeping in the next room, and handed the can to his father…”
Campus crime has become a more significant area of research, with much of the literature focusing on specific areas such as binge drinking, whether university police should carry weapons, overa...
The K-T Extinction is supported by 3 pieces of evidence. According to the EarthViewer app, the crater caused by the impact of the 10 km-diameter asteroid was identified in the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico. This evidence proves the K-T extinction because there it is physical evidence that exists from the mass extinction event. Additionally, "Fossil Data by Era and Period" shows that during the Cretaceous period, there was evidence of a diversity of dinosaurs from the fossils. However, during the Tertiary period, there was no evidence of dinosaurs, seemingly nonexistent. This is another piece of evidence because the K-T extinction happened at the end of the Cretaceous period and the beginning of the Tertiary period. The Tertiary period wouldn't
Throughout Earth’s history there have been many changes. These changes have consisted of temperature fluctuations, atmospheric differentiations, extinctions of various plant and animal life, etc. Over time everything seems to have evolved in some way form or fashion. However, the Permian Era extinction was different from all the rest. This extinction affected every form of life, but especially the marine life. Researchers have stated that 93-97% of all Earths species went extinct during this period of time. This essay will explain how a once blossoming progressive era turned into Earths most catastrophic event.
The disaster theory, Gould claims, is an example of good science. It has testable evidence and has an impact on studies in other fields of science, it develops further and explains why the extinction of dinosaurs occurred simultaneously with other events. This theory suggests that a large comet hit the Earth sixty five million years ago, causing the cloud of dust to rise into the sky and to block sunlight. As a result, world temperatures went down significantly, the ice age bega...
According to the Uniform Crime Report, a violent crime occurs on an average of every twenty-six seconds in the United States (UCR, National Data). Young people, primarily between the ages of 17 and 19 and in their early twenties, commit the vast majority of crime (Barkan and Bryjak, 33). It is also common for individuals at this age to attend college. Based on the Uniform Crime Report (Table 9), twenty-four colleges and universities have increased enrollment rates from 2005 until 2012 in New York State alone. Despite the consistent increase in the number of individuals continuing their education, it appears that the amount of violent crime has decreased among college campuses. This contradicts the common crime myth that crime is increasing throughout the United States when in fact it is actually slightly decreasing or remaining constant. It is possible for the relationship between increasing enrollment rates and decreasing rates of violent crime to be explained by the common misconception that crime is actually decreasing. However, there is evidence that supports this inverse relationship is due to the underreporting of crime among college campuses, which often happens because the college doesn’t want to damage its reputation. As a result, they choose to deal with the crime themselves rather than getting the authorities involved.
and smaller prey to avoid injury. Sometimes the spino would even find a dead animal and start to eat it. Later on other dinos would catch the scent of the carcass and track it down only to find a large predator (the spino) eating it. If hungry enough a fight would break out between the two predators over the carcass. This leads to injuries which could lead to infection and death. The Spinosaurus was too specialized for swamps and other water based environments. When the water dried up, the spino even with it’s varietal appetite, could not survive long without its correct ecosystem.
Mysteries are so fascinating because mysteries are like taking unknown information, discovering it, and making it known. Discovering why dinosaurs went extinct is looking into the discovery of their extinction and why they are extinct. Dinosaurs were the largest reptiles known to man, and around 65 million years ago, dinosaurs became extinct. Two-hundred and thirty million years ago the first dinosaur-like creature roamed the earth. These creatures were the top of the food chain, and it is crazy to think that the most dominant of all species became extinct. But there had to be either a theory such as ‘The Asteroid theory’, ‘The Ice Age theory’, or the ‘Volcano Theory’ to explain such drastic measures for the entire population to die out. This is where the mystery takes place and begins.
seems like it happened so sudden, as geologic time goes, that almost all the dinosaurs