Study Reveals Perfect Storm of Events Wiped Out Dinosaurs

The mighty dinosaurs might have survived the asteroid strike that wiped them out from earth if it had taken place before or after the fact.

A team of international paleontologists, led by the University of Edinburgh, evaluated the fossils unearthed till date, mostly from North America, using advanced analytical tools and created a new narrative of the demise of dinosaurs some 66 million years ago.  

Dr. Steve Brusatte, of the University of Edinburgh's School of GeoSciences, said: "The dinosaurs were victims of colossal bad luck. Not only did a giant asteroid strike, but it happened at the worst possible time, when their ecosystems were vulnerable. Our new findings help clarify one of the enduring mysteries of science."

Based on their evaluation, they found the Earth was undergoing an environmental turmoil before the 10 km-wide asteroid hit the planet a few million years ago. The asteroid struck at what is currently Mexico. The environmental upheaval included changes in sea level, extensive volcanic activity and variation in temperatures. This change in climate and environment affected the dinosaurs' food chain due to lack of diversity among the plant-eating dinosaurs on which other preyed.

These changes gave rise to a perfect storm in which these prehistoric creatures became vulnerable and unlikely to survive the aftermath of the asteroid strike.

The impact would have had triggered tsunamis, earthquake, wildfires, variations in temperature and other environmental changes. The gradual disappearance in the food chain further contriobuted to wiping out of the dinosaur kingdom. They believe that it was only the dinosaurs with wings who survived and evolved as birds.

The dinosaurs would have survived the asteroid strike, had it struck a few million years earlier when the dinosaur species were more diverse and the food chains were stronger.

Dr Richard Butler of the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Birmingham, said: "There has long been intense scientific debate about the cause of the dinosaur extinction. Although our research suggests that dinosaur communities were particularly vulnerable at the time the asteroid hit, there is nothing to suggest that dinosaurs were doomed to extinction. Without that asteroid, the dinosaurs would probably still be here, and we very probably would not."

The finding was documented in Biological Reviews.