Climate Change Killed Dinosaurs, Scientist Says

[thundley4]

(March 28) -- Was it long-term climate change, rather than a rogue asteroid, that killed off the dinosaurs?

That's the conclusion of German paleontologist Michael Prauss, who studied 65-million-year-old fossils drilled out of the earth in the Brazos River area of Texas and argues that radical changes to the flora and fauna of the era began long before arrival of the massive space rock widely associated with one of the largest mass extinctions in the history of the planet.

That impact, at what is now Chicxulub, Mexico, in the past 30 years has become the primary suspect in the death of the dinosaurs. And it was the subject of an article in the journal Science earlier this month in which 41 scientists from around the world argued that a wealth of global data show the extinctions began at the same time that the asteroid's crash sent debris across the atmosphere and blocked out the sun for years.

Link

Either this is evidence against AGW or man did live when the dinosaurs did.

[Thor]

I'm pretty sure that man lived amongst the dinosaurs. What my theory might be is that the asteroid impact created an ice age OR the massive volcanic eruption that took out Atlantis created the ice age. Man, being more adaptable at survival, made it through those harsh times, whereas other critters didn't.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

If only they had better CAFE regulations.

Although it should be noted fossil fuels hadn't been developed yet.

[thundley4]

If only they had better CAFE regulations.

Although it should be noted fossil fuels hadn't been developed yet.

But that's only because there weren't any fossils yet.

[Chris_]

Dinosaurs drove SUVs?

[Woodhick]

Was it long-term climate change, rather than a rogue asteroid, that killed off the dinosaurs?

I'm no rocket scientist by any stretch , but it would seem to me a cosmic collision with the planet would surely cause climate change and for how long it lasted is anyones guess.

[thundley4]

I'm no rocket scientist by any stretch , but it would seem to me a cosmic collision with the planet would surely cause climate change and for how long it lasted is anyones guess.

Even without a collision, there were many more active volcanoes in the distant past. The accumulation of ash and other gases in the atmosphere would have had more effect than what humans have now.

I seem to recall that even Mt. St. Helens had some effect on world weather when it blew.

[Woodhick]

Even without a collision, there were many more active volcanoes in the distant past. The accumulation of ash and other gases in the atmosphere would have had more effect than what humans have now.

I seem to recall that even Mt. St. Helens had some effect on world weather when it blew.

My memory is about as long as my 
I seem to recall the science channel or another had a show about when the lest time the Yellowstone area blew. That could have been the cause of many liveing things being eliminated.

[thundley4]

My memory is about as long as my 
I seem to recall the science channel or another had a show about when the lest time the Yellowstone area blew. That could have been the cause of many liveing things being eliminated.

Not only is Yellowstone a huge volcanic area, it's also one of the largest faults.

[NHSparky]

Dinosaurs drove SUVs?

Yep--and they mocked "Erf Hour" last night, too.

[Happy Fun Ball]

[thundley4]

That has to be from Calvin and Hobbs.