Where Did They Go? Dinosaur Extinction Theories Analyzed

It all began 230 million years ago when dinosaurs ruled the Earth... how many times have we heard that same line or something similar to that? We all know for a fact that dinosaurs existed. Museums house skeletal statues of the once inhabitants of our current world. Paleontologists as well as Archeologists spend a lot of time and money digging up the past and researching what happened to these vertebrate animals. Because of our lack of attendance at this time period, we have created a part of our culture that includes the constant reminder that once upon a time, when humans did not exist, there were these huge beasts roaming around, right where we stand today. And because of the popularity in books, and films regarding these creatures, we still have no solid rhyme or reason describing why none of these extraordinary animals are here with us now.

Hundreds of theories have been concluded to cause such a mass extinction of animals, but which one is the real one?

Here are some popular theories that I have analyzed wondering the truth behind the mystery.

Carbon Dioxide is the first theory that I would like to take a look at. Many think that high levels of carbon dioxide destroyed dinosaur embryos as well as caused the oceans to become stagnant.

Carbon Dioxide is normally a gaseous state and is colorless and odorless. In order for carbon dioxide to be dangerous and deadly to animal life, the amount has to be about 50000 parts per million; meaning, one particle of carbon dioxide for ever 999,999 other particles. High levels of this gas can cause frostbite, kidney damage, dizziness, headache, elevated blood pressure, and even coma. This information can explain the high doses in effect to destroying dinosaur embryos. However the stagnant conditions of the oceans make it seem like there is an assumption that all of the dinosaurs lived in marine environments, which is not true. Also, a consideration of how the carbon dioxide levels rose to such an extreme level that would wipe out an entire species across the world.

Back then carbon dioxide levels were about 12 times higher than the levels today. Even though it was 12 times higher then, it would have had to jump more significantly in order to cause a worldwide extinction. Humans are used to carbon dioxide emissions from our own man made machinery, obviously that wasn't around 230 million years ago. It could be from extensive volcanic eruptions that released gases into the atmosphere that included carbon dioxide as well as sulfur dioxide and hydrogen fluoride. This in turn leads to the next theory...

Volcanic eruptions are my first believed theory of the dinosaur's extinction. When a volcano erupts, the first thing you feel is the massive ground vibrations which sometimes have the capability of causing earthquakes. Earthquakes have the ability of creating parts of the ground to crack open, especially around fault line areas, making it very easy for dinosaurs of any size to get trapped in or wounded. Being wounded or trapped in a dog eat dog or in this case dinosaur eat dinosaur world, those who are in this position are considered to be food and already dead.

The volcano also, as stated before, emits carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and hydrogen fluoride. We already covered the carbon dioxide effects; however sulfur dioxide gas can lead to acid rain to occur downwind from the volcano. Acid rain can then pollute the oceans, where some dinosaurs resided and cause the water to become acidic which kills the animals living in the oceans. Non marine animals that decide to use one of these contaminated lakes, or oceans, as a waterhole will also suffer and die. If not used as a waterhole and a carnivore feeds on the remains of the dead marine dinosaurs, they too will begin to die.

The hydrogen fluoride will automatically begin to irritate the eyes, respiratory tract, and cause diarrhea. A 30 minute exposure to this colorless, flammable gas will inevitably infect you with bronchopneumonia.

We can't forget about the ash that falls from the volcanic eruption. That ingested into the dinosaurs, just as if it were ingested by humans, act like concrete. Inhalation of the ash can quickly cause respiratory problems and respiratory failure.

If any of the living dinosaurs at this point is in the vicinity of the volcanic eruption and are met with lava, they are immediately burned alive.

At this point, if there are any dinosaurs left, because of the gasses and ash fall, those veggie eating dinosaurs will loose a great deal of their food intake and parish, leaving the carnivores to consume them as food. And last but not least, the then survivors need to adjust to a climate change due to the carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Carbon dioxide mixed with the water in the air can absorb the heat and trap it in the atmosphere, thus causing the temperatures to rise. Or it can go the opposite way. Sulfur dioxide combined with limited amounts of water in the atmosphere can create reflective hazes of droplets that can cause significant drops in temperature. Increases or decreases in temperatures can travel around the world in a matter of days.

It's all a chain reaction when Mother Nature takes over.

A man in the late 1970 proposed that the dinosaurs were wiped out due to an asteroid collision. The asteroid was estimated about 9 miles in diameter and the impact penetrated the Earth's crust causing climate changes, fires, volcanic activity, tsunamis, and acid rain. When the impact occurred, scientists estimated the striking energy to be that of 100 million megatons of dynamite falling into Mexico's Yucatan coastline, where believed the massive asteroid landed.

The impact of this size of an asteroid would have definitely sent the heat of the impact set a lot of what is now North America into flames and block out the sunlight. No sunlight caused a decline in the temperatures making the most of the Earth inhabitable. With an impact such as this the decrease in the temperature of the atmosphere would prevent plants from photosynthesizing. Without food for the veggie-o-saurs (herbivores) they were unable to survive causing their extinction. This same type of sub-theory would apply to any theory regarding atmospheric temperatures to decrease significantly.

Some scientists believe that another lack of survival could have been changes in the dinosaur cell DNA. Mutations can occur due to simple copying errors and the DNA replicates itself, also environmental agents can play a huge part in mutations as well. Those dinosaurs that may have survived the asteroid, or the volcanic eruptions, or even the carbon dioxide poisoning, could have endured damage to their DNA due to the chemicals in the air as well as the suns radiation. Dinosaurs laying eggs at this point in time could inevitably pass the mutation onto their offspring. A variety of genetic mutations could have resulted and the newly formed creatures could not survive.

An example of a type of mutation could have been excessive bone growth that would hinder movement. Another example would be any one of their glands to be malfunctioned which would cause an overgrowth of horns or spines that would impair their ability to live and function properly.

The last theory that I would like to touch upon is the theory of evolution, which links to genetic mutation. In order for us to evolve and bring ourselves accustomed to the environment around us we have to adapt. Whether that means our bodies recognize what needs to be manipulated to survive, or we find a way to make ourselves adapt to survive.

Have you ever noticed how the pictures of dinosaurs or the skeletons that you see look similar to that of a smaller version of an ostrich or an elephant or even an alligator? Maybe our current animal species are in fact dinosaurs that have adapted through time, making themselves used to the cold and warm temperatures and the lack of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that they are used to.

We all evolve in one way or another. If we don't evolve or adapt, we cease to live.

After all of these analyses, my conclusion is to believe that of evolution mixed with volcanic eruptions. It's the domino effect. One thing has to be done to trigger another. Things such as extreme as an extinction of an entire species doesn't just happen, something has to occur to eliminate all possibilities of survival.

Survival of the fittest people! Scientists don't have to show evidence to prove that one!