Being already adapted to polar climes could have enabled dinosaurs to survive cold winters in the end-Triassic extinction event when most other animals died out
, when temperatures plunged and decade-long eruptions clouded the air with sulphur. But medium-large dinosaurs rapidly appeared again almost everywhere after this extinction event, says Olsen, and the adaptation of the polar dinosaurs to the cold probably explains why.
When temperatures plummeted during the end-Triassic period, these dinosaurs were prepared for it, having survived feeding on polar vegetation and braving the cold with feathers that served as insulation, says Olsen. These dinosaurs then expanded across the world throughout the Jurassic, taking the place of large non-insulated reptiles, which had been wiped out.
The evidence is the latest to suggest that our concept of dinosaurs needs a rethink, says Olsen. “What our paper shows is that our view of the dinosaurian world is basically all wrong,” he says. “Polar dinosaurs are not on the margin. They are typical. And, in fact, dinosaurs are fundamentally cold-adapted animals.”
Brasil Últimas Notícias, Brasil Manchetes
Similar News:Você também pode ler notícias semelhantes a esta que coletamos de outras fontes de notícias.
Feathers may have helped dinosaurs survive the Triassic mass extinctionNew data show that dinosaurs were able to weather freezing conditions about 202 million years ago, probably thanks to warm feathery coats.
Consulte Mais informação »
Utah lauds, environmentalists lament Supreme Court for limiting EPA on clean powerThe Utah attorney general’s office cheered the U.S. Supreme Court ruling striking down the Obama-era Clean Power Plan as executive overreach, but environmental groups say the decision sets back efforts to clean up the state’s power grid.
Consulte Mais informação »
Why the Search for Life on Mars Is Happening in Canada’s ArcticScientists show how microbes living in a salty spring near the North Pole might resemble those that could have survived on the Red Planet—or in ocean worlds.
Consulte Mais informação »
Mets’ Taijuan Walker dominates with help of Luis Guillorme’s defenseTaijuan Walker, with the help of Luis Guillorme’s defense, pitched 7¹/₃ scoreless innings in the Mets’ 2-0 loss to the Astros Wednesday at Citi Field.
Consulte Mais informação »
Diverse Origins of Earth’s Minerals: Helping Find New Minerals, Habitable Planets, and Extraterrestrial LifeAn innovative new perspective on mineralogy, findings rank amongst the field’s most important in the last century. Scientists decipher and catalog the diverse origins of Earth's minerals; will inform models of life’s history, help find new minerals, habitable planets, and extraterrestrial life.
Consulte Mais informação »
We may be underestimating how many cold, giant planets are habitableAn insulating blanket of hydrogen and helium could allow liquid water to exist on planets far from their home stars.
Consulte Mais informação »