In the ancient history of the Earth, dinosaurs reigned supreme for over 53 million years. These incredible creatures dominated the planet, growing in size and diversity until they were ultimately wiped out by a catastrophic asteroid impact.
Recent research has shed light on the events that led to the rise of the dinosaurs. It appears that a similar catastrophic event, known as the “volcanic winter,” played a key role in paving the way for these ancient creatures. This event, which occurred 201.6 million years ago, resulted in a mass extinction that wiped out three-quarters of all species on Earth.
The massive volcanic eruption that triggered this extinction event caused widespread devastation, splitting the supercontinent Pangea and unleashing lava flows that lasted for hundreds of thousands of years.
undefined
This catastrophic event marked the beginning of the Jurassic period, during which dinosaurs emerged to fill the void left by the extinct Triassic creatures.
Prior to this new research, the leading theory for the Fourth Mass Extinction implicated the release of large amounts of carbon dioxide from volcanic eruptions, leading to global warming and ocean acidification. However, the latest study proposes a different scenario, suggesting that sulfate particles released by the volcano actually had a cooling effect on the Earth, ultimately contributing to the extinction event.
The researchers behind this study argue that the sudden release of sulfate particles into the atmosphere reflected sunlight away from the Earth, causing a drastic drop in temperatures that led to the freezing of many species.
Contrary to the previous belief that carbon dioxide was the primary culprit in mass extinctions, this study highlights the significant impact of sulfate particles on global climate and ecosystems during this ancient period of Earth’s history.
Through the analysis of volcanic deposits from various locations, researchers were able to identify five successive lava eruptions over a span of 40,000 years at the end of the Triassic period. These eruptions, known as lava “pulses,” were devastating to the existing species, leading to the disappearance of many Triassic fossils and allowing for the evolution of new, larger dinosaur species.
Despite the devastation caused by these volcanic eruptions, some small dinosaurs, such as triceratops and tyrannosaurus, managed to survive and evolve into the iconic creatures we know today. Additionally, small mammals continued to evolve alongside the dinosaurs, eventually giving rise to our own ancestors.
read more:
Source: www.sciencefocus.com
