Dinosaur fossils have been discovered in recent years, with new species constantly being discovered, scientists enthusiastically studying them, and generations of children and their parents developing a strong interest in these mysterious ancient creatures. Why is this?
This is because many dinosaurs were so much larger than humans that we all have to wonder why they grew so big. Also, because there were so many different kinds of dinosaurs, and their appearances were so varied, that we can't help but wonder how many members this huge family of dinosaurs actually had.
Mesozoic Era Extinction
There is another, even more important reason: why did so many dinosaurs, who once lived a vast and vibrant life on Earth, disappear without a trace, leaving behind no descendants and instead creating an unsolved mystery for us? This mystery will forever inspire us to explore and seek knowledge.
We now know that the dinosaurs went extinct 65 million years ago. At that time, not only did all the various dinosaurs that had ruled the Earth for over 100 million years become extinct, but a similarly tragic fate befell many other creatures living on land, in the sea, and in the sky. This catastrophe also wiped out marine reptiles such as plesiosaurs, flying reptiles such as pterosaurs, terrestrial reptile relatives of dinosaurs such as lizards, and marine invertebrates such as ammonites and belemnites. As for marine microplankton, calcareous foraminifera and calcareous microplankton were almost completely wiped out. After this great catastrophe, approximately 50% of the genera and almost 75% of the species on Earth disappeared forever.
This was truly a mass extinction, a catastrophe. The result of this mass extinction was a fundamental and dramatic change in the face of the biological world on Earth around 65 million years ago. This mass extinction marked the end of the Mesozoic Era, and the beginning of a new era in Earth's geological history—the Cenozoic Era.
Scientists have made tireless efforts, analyzing all available clues and proposing various theories to explain this mass extinction. However, to date, a definitively correct answer regarding the cause of this mass extinction has not yet been found.
Perhaps, the answer awaits you to find.
Below, we will introduce some theories and doctrines about the cause of the extinction of dinosaurs, that is, to introduce you with some basic background knowledge, and also hope to provide some inspiration for you to find better explanations.
