Dinosaur Extinction

Paper Summary:

This paper looks at the numerous theories that have been presented over time regarding the reason for dinosaur extinction. The author discusses explanations such as a sudden catastrophic event, like a meteor hitting the earth or a volcanic eruption, and also slow, environmental causes like global warming or shifting plate tectonics.

From the Paper:

"First, around the time of the mass extinction of the dinosaurs there was a global climate change. During this time, the environment changed from the warm and mild one present in the Mesozoic era to the cooler one of the Cenozoic. Second, evidence exists to support a massive terrestrial disturbance at the end of the Cretaceous period that included soot in the air, acid rain, the emission of poisonous gases, and a cooling similar to that of a nuclear winter. This terrestrial disturbance caused periods of darkness on the earth as well as a global greenhouse effect. Third, the dinosaurs were only one species that became extinct during this time. According to scientific evidence, approximately 60 percent of all species below the line of the K-T boundary did not exist above that line."

More papers on Dinosaur Extinction:

• Essay # 29492 : "Dinosaur Extinction Theories"
• Research Paper # 63128 : "The Dinosaur Debate"
• Persuasive Essay # 101719 : "The Extinction of the Dinosaurs"

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