Could dinosaurs still exist somewhere on Earth? Science answers!

During the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 66 million years ago, an asteroid hit Earth; This was an extreme event that triggered the extinction of the dinosaurs.

Evidence suggests that this cosmic rock crashed into the current Gulf of Mexico region, causing massive destruction in the region and triggering tsunamis, firestorms, and other natural disasters. It is estimated that approximately 75% of all species became extinct in this cosmic event.

However, among the animals left behind from this extinction event, Could dinosaurs exist anywhere on Earth?

Curiosity about dinosaurs increased with the discovery of some fossils in the late 1600s. In fact, the year 2024 marks 200 years since the first fully known dinosaur was described by Oxford University geology professor William Buckland in 1824..

Although many fossilized bones were discovered by others in the 1600s and probably even earlier, people did not know that they were dinosaurs. Buckland was the first to describe the species, but not the last.

It is extremely intriguing to imagine that some dinosaurs might have survived the extinction event. There are those who believe that they can survive on a remote and inaccessible island.

If this were possible, it would be something similar to what we saw in the Jurassic Park movie series, but not exactly. Because some dinosaurs featured in the movies are very different from their original versions.

Could dinosaurs still exist on Earth?

The quick and simple answer to this question is: No. In an article published on the website SpeechHans Sues, a geologist and senior researcher in vertebrate paleontology at the Smithsonian Institution, says there is no evidence that these animals could have survived.

Only a few animals, such as lizards, turtles and others, managed to acclimate after autumn.

The geologist is even joking when he says this There are no cousins ​​of Tyrannosaurus rex in the Siberian forests or Apatosaurus in the Congo.. But before finishing this question, we need to understand what a dinosaur is.

For many years The scientific community believed that dinosaurs were cold-blooded animals, similar to modern-day reptiles. With the Jurassic Park series depicting nearly all dinosaurs as direct ancestors of modern reptiles, it’s no surprise that this idea resonates with the entertainment industry.

The first bird-related features were reported after the discovery of the Archeopteryx fossil in Germany in 1861; This fossil was not thought to be a direct descendant of birds.

But, The understanding of the relationship between dinosaurs and birds only gained strength after the study of the dinosaur Deinonychus.. In fact, it was this species that inspired the appearance of the Velociraptor in Jurassic Park. The genus Velociraptor actually existed, but the filmmakers chose to use the name of one and the appearance of the other.

In the 1960s, American paleontologist John H. Ostrom published a study showing that there were many similarities between the bone structure of Deinonychus and the bone structure of modern-day birds.

“The discovery of Deinonychus also revived the hypothesis that birds descended from dinosaurs. In the 1860s, famous biologist Thomas Henry Huxley championed this idea. Describing the anatomy of fossilized bird remains, he once commented: ‘[Se] “I do not know by what test these fossil bones can be distinguished from the bones of a dinosaur,” it is explained in an article from Yale University.

Living relatives of dinosaurs

Since Ostrom’s published work and numerous subsequent discoveries, most paleontologists now agree that there is a direct connection between dinosaurs and birds. In other words, birds are direct descendants of dinosaurs.

Interestingly, even chickens can be considered close relatives of these ancient giants. According to scientists, birds were descendants of small bipedal theropod dinosaurs.

In summary, Dinosaurs are no longer alive today, but birds may represent a remnant of what these animals once were.. Therefore, when you look at the sky and see a bird flying, remember that its history dates back much further than human history.

Follow the latest developments in paleontology and science at TecMundo. If you wish, you can have the opportunity to meet Lokiceratops, the “horned” dinosaur named after Marvel’s villain. Until later!