what are the three theories for the extinction of the dinosaurs

1 year ago 75
Nature

There are several theories about what caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. Here are three of them:

  1. Asteroid Impact: According to National Geographic, the most widely accepted theory is that a large asteroid or comet struck the Earth about 66 million years ago, causing a catastrophic event that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs and many other forms of life.

  2. Volcanic Activity: Another theory is that intense volcanic activity triggered the mass extinction event. According to Smithsonian Magazine, most dinosaur lineages disappeared after intense volcanic activity, climate change, and a catastrophic asteroid impact. The Deccan Traps in India, a massive volcanic eruption that occurred around the same time as the asteroid impact, could have filled the air with dangerous amounts of carbon dioxide and other gases, drastically altering the Earths climate.

  3. Climate Change: Some scientists believe that climate change caused by retreating sea levels might have contributed to the extinction of the dinosaurs. However, the issue of the selectivity of the mass extinction remains a problem for this theory, as some organisms were wiped out while others were unaffected.

It's worth noting that there are other theories that have been proposed, such as egg-eating, acid rain, and even farting. However, these theories have been largely discarded by paleontologists.