Dinosaurs were large lizards that roamed the planet millions of years ago and then, rather suddenly, went extinct. Tyrannosaurus Rex, a giant, meat-eating dinosaur, was among the last to go extinct. Two scientists speculate as to why.
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Hypothesis 1 Dinosaur extinction was the result of a massive meteorite colliding with Earth. This meteorite would have created an enormous crater in Earth’s crust, displacing thousands of tons of dust and debris. These fine dust and debris particles would have remained suspended in the atmosphere for some time, essentially forming a layer impenetrable by the sun’s rays. This “blackout” would have lasted for several months, resulting in drastically decreased temperatures and the death of acres upon acres of forest. Although all dinosaurs would have been weakened by the cooler temperatures, the herbaceous dinosaurs would have been directly impacted and died off sooner. The carnivorous dinosaurs would have died off later, able to feed on the remaining herbaceous dinosaurs. As these herbaceous dinosaurs disappeared, however, so too would the carnivorous dinosaurs.
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