Dinosaurs. Every toddler loves them, some adults admire them, and without a doubt, they were majestic creatures that have left us with a lot of questions. Here are a few interesting facts about these awesome creatures.
Their Origins
The dinosaurs originated in the first Mesozoic era, which ran from 248 to 200 million years ago. Although we know about fossils from the Late Triassic age (around 228) they may have actually originated much earlier. It was during the middle period of the Mesozoic era, about 201 million years ago, that dinosaurs ruled the earth during the Jurassic period.
They Were Highly Diverse
The dinosaur population was very diverse. Most people have heard of the basic dinosaurs: Tyrannosaurus Rex, diplodocus, triceratops, and stegosaurus. However, there were more than 700 different species of dinosaurs in this period. They lived alongside vertebrate animals. There were even marine and flying reptiles, which are not considered dinosaurs, but very distant relatives.
Found in All Kinds of Fossils
We know so much about dinosaurs thanks to the many fossils that have been discovered around the world. Skeletal remains, footprints, nests, eggs, skin, feathers, and even blood vessels have been found. People can see many of these preserved bones and tissues firsthand by visiting museums. There are so many out there that dinosaur lovers such as Dan Avidan have made visiting dinosaur museums one of their hobbies!
Where They Lived
Dinosaurs lived on each of the continents. In fact, during the Triassic period, the continents were just one single supercontinent called Pangea. This supercontinent slowly broke apart over the years to form the continents we have today. This is the principal theory as to why dinosaur bones are found everywhere, even in Antarctica!
Their End
Although there are different theories about how dinosaurs became extinct, the most substantial hypothesis attributes it to the impact of a large meteorite on Earth, in what is now the Yucatan Peninsula. This event occurred at the end of the Mesozoic period, about 66 million years ago.
Reviewing Research
There is so much yet so little known about dinosaurs. New dinosaurs are discovered every day, as well as better preserved specimens of known species. Scientists are constantly rethinking what has already been researched because of new discoveries, technology, or ways of thinking.
One great example of this was the discovery of feathered dinosaurs and the discovery of an intact iguanodon. The paleontologists that first discovered the iguanodon weren’t sure where the spike belonged and believed that it may have been a sort of horn on its nose. Then, after finding more intact skeletons, it was determined that the spike was actually the thumb!
Dinosaurs were varied and numerous. They walked, flew, and ran. Some were gigantic and some were minuscule. They were the kings of the earth for several millions of years, and today we enjoy seeing their skeletons and imagining how it would have been to see a real, live dinosaur. Whether they love them or hate them, most people can agree that we’re lucky we don’t share the planet with them!