Seventy million years ago, many terrifying creatures ruled the water, land, and sky. They were called dinosaurs.
“Dinosaur” is not the name of a single animal but a term for a group of animals. Dinosaurs were astonishingly large, some reaching 30 meters in length and weighing about 40-50 tons. The reason they were given the prefix “terrible” in their name is because of their enormous size. Their shapes were incredibly diverse: the Mosasaurus looked like a giant lizard; the Plesiosaurus had the fins of a fish, the body of a turtle, the neck of a snake, and the mouth of a crocodile, making it a true “four-in-one”; the Triceratops resembled a bull.
However, later on, these creatures suddenly became extinct on Earth. Scientists have conducted long-term research on this issue and have gradually reached a consensus.
It turns out that the Mesozoic era (geological age) was the period when the dinosaur family thrived. At that time, the climate was mild, and the land was covered with lakes and swamps, providing abundant plants and animals for them to eat. They lived a stable life, so their body structures and physiological adaptations were suited to the conditions of that time. Over the long ages, these adaptations and body structures became fixed. However, at the end of the Mesozoic era, a major event occurred on Earth: many mountains formed on the crust, and the swamps were destroyed. Consequently, they could not adapt to the new environment. First, they faced dry and hot air, and their respiratory systems, which were only suitable for humid and warm air, could not cope. Due to the climate change, plants became scarce, especially in winter, causing food shortages. Meanwhile, birds and mammals had already developed; they were quick-witted, agile, and warm-blooded animals, making it easier for them to adapt to the changing climate. In contrast, the clumsy, slow-moving dinosaurs with less developed brains were no match in the competition for food. In this fierce struggle for survival, they were destined to fail. These reasons collectively led to the extinction of the dinosaur family.