Dinosaurs– Fascinating as well as fearful. Ever since the release of the Jurassic Park movie,
came out people have shown interest in dinosaurs. Unlike the other oldest species that still live, Dinosaurs met extinction million years ago. Many theories evolved on the causes of dinosaur extinction, some backed by evidence and others not. Check out some famous theories suggesting the causes of dinosaurs’ end.
What Object Caused the Dinosaurs to Go Extinct?
What object caused the dinosaurs to go extinct?
- A. Asteroid
- B. Wildfire
- C. Tsunami
- D. None of the above
An asteroid the size of a mountain hit near the Yucatan peninsula over 65 million years ago. Its ignition was equivalent to 100 trillion tons of TNT. Due to that catastrophic explosion, the whole era of dinosaurs became extinct. In 1980, a research team created an asteroid theory, stating that Iridium is a rare element on the Earth and mostly found on the meteorite. After a decade, another research was conducted on exactly where the rock struck and identified the Chicxulub crater as the impact site.
What are the 3 Theories of Dinosaur Extinction?
A Meteor
The most well-known theory that evolved on the earth is the meteor that killed the dinosaurs. A giant meteor covered the atmosphere with deadly gas and vaporized rocks and dust. This explosion’s impact lasted for a period leaving small creatures to survive on the earth.
The 93-mile crater of the East Coast of Mexico exists as supporting evidence of this theory.
Volcano
Around 70 million years ago, countless volcanic eruptions in Northern India resulted in blocking sunlight and causing plant death. Scientists believe this eruption released significant amounts of carbon dioxide and other gases, impacting Earth’s climate. This incident might be a reason for dinosaur extinction.
Supernova
Before the theory of asteroids hitting the earth dinosaurs, another theory suggested that the supernova would have caused the destruction. The explosion of the nearby star could have emitted radiation endangering the lives of dinosaurs.
Hope this blog helped you learn more about the dinosaur extinction. If you find this subject so interesting, check out this blog to learn about the Fossil Pigments Reveal the Colour of Dinosaurs