Dinosaurs became extinct from "summary" of A Short History of Nearly Everything: Special Illustrated Edition by Bill Bryson
Around 65 million years ago, the Earth experienced a cataclysmic event that brought about the end of the dinosaurs. This event, known as the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event, was a mass extinction that wiped out nearly three-quarters of all plant and animal species on Earth. The most famous victims of this extinction were, of course, the dinosaurs. The leading theory for the cause of this mass extinction is a massive asteroid impact. Scientists believe that a 6-mile-wide asteroid collided with the Earth, creating a crater over 100 miles wide. The impact would have released an immense amount of energy, causing widespread fires, earthquakes, and tsunamis. The dust and debris thrown up into the atmosphere would have blocked out the sun, leading to a rapid and dramatic cooling of the Earth's climate. This sudden and drastic change in climate would have had devastating effects on the dinosaurs and their ecosystems. With food sources dwindling and temperatures dropping rapidly, many species would have been unable to adapt quickly enough to survive. The larger dinosaurs, in particular, would have been especially vulnerable to these changes. In addition to the asteroid impact, other factors may have also played a role in the extinction of the dinosaurs. Volcanic activity, climate change, and disease outbreaks are just a few of the other potential causes that scientists have considered. It is likely that a combination of these factors, rather than a single cause, led to the demise of the dinosaurs. Despite the sudden and dramatic nature of their extinction, the dinosaurs' demise paved the way for the rise of mammals and eventually, the evolution of humans. It is a sobering reminder of the fragility of life on Earth and the impact that external forces can have on the course of evolution. The dinosaurs may be long gone, but their legacy lives on in the world around us.
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