Asteroid Impact: How Dinosaurs Flourished Before Their Extinction – New Research Reveals

Researchers believe dinosaurs might not have been in decline before their extinction. A major asteroid impact, around 66 million years ago, is still seen as the main culprit for their disappearance—except for birds, which are their descendants.

Recently, scientists in New Mexico dated a rock formation and found evidence suggesting that dinosaurs were thriving before the asteroid hit. Dr. Andrew Flynn, who led the research, stated that this study shows that in North America, dinosaurs were not headed for extinction.

The team studied the Naashoibito Member rock formation, using two methods. First, they looked at the ratio of argon isotopes in crystals within the rock. Next, they examined the magnetic alignment of particles trapped in the rock, which reflects Earth’s magnetic field direction during its formation. These methods indicate that the young dinosaur fossils within this rock were formed just about 350,000 years before the mass extinction event.

Flynn noted that these findings suggest that diverse dinosaur species existed before the asteroid strike. He emphasized that there wasn’t a uniform group of North American dinosaurs that made them vulnerable to extinction. For example, northern species included many horned dinosaurs and duck-billed dinosaurs, while southern species featured unique, elaborately crested duck-bills and massive long-necked sauropods, like the alamosaurus, which could reach lengths of up to 30 meters.

Co-author Prof. Steve Brusatte from the University of Edinburgh also confirmed their findings, noting no signs of trouble for these creatures leading up to the event.

Interestingly, the perception of dinosaur decline might stem from the scarcity of fossilized rocks from the end of the Cretaceous period compared to earlier times. Flynn suggested that the evidence strongly points to the asteroid impact as the sole cause of their extinction.

Prof. Michael Benton from the University of Bristol, who did not take part in the study, praised the findings but cautioned that this research only reflects one location. He mentioned that other evidence indicates a more general decline in dinosaur diversity in the final six million years of the Cretaceous, dropping from 43 species to 30 in western North America.

So, while this study offers exciting new insights, it also highlights the complexity of the dinosaur extinction story. The narrative of their diversity and eventual extinction continues to evolve as more research emerges, showing us just how much remains to be uncovered about these fascinating creatures.

For further reading on dinosaur extinction, you can check details in Science Journal and explore the latest findings on this captivating subject.

Source link