...Controversy surrounds the extinction of the dinosaurs. According to one theory, dinosaurs were slowly driven to extinction by environmental changes linked to the creeping withdrawal of shallow seas from the continents at the end of the dinosaur era. Proponents of this theory propose that dinosaurs dwindled in number and variety over several million years. An opposing theory proposes that the impact of asteroid or comet caused catastrophic destruction of the environment, leading to the extinction of the dinosaurs. Evidence to support this theory includes the discovery of a buried impact crater (thought to be the result of a large comet striking the earth) that is 200 km (124 mi.) in diameter in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. The spray of debris was blown from the edge of the crater. The debris has been found over large regions of North America. Comet enriched material from the impact's fiery explosion was spread all over the world. With radiometric dating, scientists have used the decay rates of certain atoms to date the crater, spray of debris, and fireball layer. Using similar techniques to date the dramatic changes in the record of microscopic fossils, they have found that the impact and the dinosaur extinction occurred nearly simultaneously. Although great amounts of ash suggest that most of North and South America was devastated by fire from the impact, the longer-term environmental effects of the impact were ultimately more deadly to life than the fire. Dust blocked...
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...base for living things. I decided to write about the evolution and extinction of dinosaurs because the whole idea of a species so majestic, large and powerful getting completely wiped out is somewhat of a disturbance to me. I felt that if something had wiped out an entire race of living things, then, it is a possibility that it could happen again, maybe to our own species. Dinosaurs, being one of the most exciting creatures to roam the earth are a part of what we call ‘evolution’. It is a simple and obvious fact that Dinosaurs did not suddenly come into existence two hundred million years ago. Like all living things, they evolved, slowly and gradually, from creatures that roamed the earth before them. These former creatures were primitive reptiles known as the Archosaurs. Archosaurs were not so different from dinosaurs except for the large difference in size, etc. Some Paleontologists believe that all dinosaurs evolved from one kind of Achosaur, the Lagosuchus, a quick but small reptile that lived in the forests of the early Triassic period. The Permian Extinction opened up huge swaths of evolutionary territory for the Archosaurs, some of which evolved over tens of millions of years into the dinosaurs we know and love today. As is the case with all species, the slow, winding path taken by dinosaur evolution depended on a variety of factors, including climate, competition, and the availability of food. Dinosaurs, although being extremely interesting, are but one group of animals...
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...Answers • Store • Outreach • Media • Kids • Education • Donate • Answers in Genesis • Answers • Animals • Dinosaurs • Dinosaur Extinction • The Extinction of the Dinosaurs The Extinction of the Dinosaurs by Michael J. Oard on August 1, 1997 Share: • • • • Originally published in Journal of Creation 11, no 2 (August 1997): 137-154. Shop Now First published: TJ (now Journal of Creation) 11(2):137–154 August 1997 by Michael J. Oard Dinosaur extinction is still a major enigma of earth history. In this review article, extinctions in the geological record will be briefly mentioned. Many of the imaginative theories for the extinction of the dinosaurs will also be presented. Within the uniformitarian paradigm, the meteorite impact theory, once considered ‘outrageous’, now is the dominant theory. However, the volcanic theory is still believed by a majority of palaeontologists. Both theories have their strengths and weaknesses. The unscientific behaviour of those involved in the meteorite paradigm change will be briefly explored. Evidence that the dinosaurs died in a cataclysm of global proportions will be presented, such as the huge water-laid dinosaur graveyards found over the earth. Occasional monospecific bone-beds and the rarity of fossils of very young dinosaurs suggest a catastrophic death and burial. The billions of dinosaur tracks recently discovered provide testimony to unusual, stressful conditions. Nests, eggs, and babies are a challenge...
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...The extinction of dinosaurs can be seen as a lot of speculation. In “Sex, Drugs, Disasters, and the Extinction of Dinosaurs” Stephen Jay Gould explains how “science, is a fruitful mode of inquiry, not a list of enticing conclusions.” (Gould, 216). What makes something speculation and not science, which of the three theories are speculation, and what makes Gould question the theories. In “Sex, Drugs, Disasters, and the Extinction of Dinosaurs” Gould explains the differences of science and speculation. Science starts with a hypothesis and from there the scientist looks for evidence to back up his or her hypothesis. This evidence helps give the hypothesis validity and also allows other scientists to test said hypothesis. Gould states that “We can never be completely sure that a...
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...Reading section measure your ability to understand academic passages in English. You will read one passage and answer questions about it. In a real test, you would have 20 minutes to read the passage and answer the questions. Candidates with disabilities may request a time extension. Meteorite Impact and Dinosaur Extinction There is increasing evidence that the impacts of meteorites have had important effects on Earth, particularly in the field of biological evolution. Such impacts continue to pose a natural hazard to life on Earth. Twice in the twentieth century, large meteorite objects are known to have collided with Earth. 5 If an impact is large enough, it can disturb the environment of the entire Earth and cause an ecological catastrophe. The best-documented such impact took place 65 million years ago at the end of the Cretaceous period of geological history. This break in Earth’s history is marked by a mass extinction, when as many as half the species on the planet became extinct. While there are a dozen or more mass extinctions in the geological record, the Cretaceous mass extinction has always intrigued paleontologists because it marks the end of the age of the dinosaurs. For tens of millions of years, those great creatures had flourished. Then, suddenly, they disappeared. The body that impacted Earth at the end of the Cretaceous period was a meteorite with a mass of more than a trillion tons and a diameter of at least 10 kilometers. Scientists first identified this impact...
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...Kayla Salcedo Mrs.Harkin Science If the asteroid didn't hit earth how would we be affected by it? For many years scientists have studied mass extinction that wiped out the dinosaurs over 65 million years agohttp://www.universetoday.com/118633/it-looks-like-an-asteroid-strike-cant-cause-a-worldwide-dinosaur-killing-firestorm/ Research shows that vast global firestorms could have been the main cause of extinction http://www.universetoday.com/118633/it-looks-like-an-asteroid-strike-cant-cause-a-worldwide-dinosaur-killing-firestorm/ vast energy released a 15 km wide asteroid slamming into earth which was also around the time dinosaurs were extinct http://www.universetoday.com/118633/it-looks-like-an-asteroid-strike-cant-cause-a-worldwide-dinosaur-killing-firestorm/...
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...Dinosaurs of the Jurassic Period Jurassic Period- 206-144 mya • Took place roughly 210 million years ago. • Lasted around 70 million years • This was the second(middle) period of the three divisions of the Mesozoic era. • Age of the Dinosaurs, first bird life. Bower proclaimed that the "Triassic period began about 20 million years ago, and the Jurassic period began 210 million years ago"(1986). During the Mesozoic, or "Middle Life" Era, life diversified rapidly and giant reptiles, dinosaurs and other monstrous beasts roamed the Earth. The period, which spans from about 252 million years ago to about 66 million years ago, was also known as the age of reptiles (Ghose 2013). There is little supporting evidence that plant life is truly from the early Jurassic time frame, however, Brannan's research suggests "At the beginning of the Jurassic period the Earth saw the disappearance of seed-fern floras but the gymnosperms and true ferns were thriving"(Brannan 2012). Early Jurassic- The Liassic Epoch (176 to 200 mya) • Brought much warmer/wetter rainforest climate • Marine reptiles evolved such as, Ichthyosaurus, Temnodontosaurus, Euycleidus. • Terrestrial animals made an appearance such as the Stegosaurs, Tetanurae, Berberosaurus, Heterdonosaurids. In the Early Jurassic, the Colorado Plateau region again became arid and the eolian sandstones record zonal as well as monsoonal circulation (Parrish 1993). Following the dramatic decline, ichthyosaur diversity increased...
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...In the following I will discuss the atmosphere of the late Cretaceous (end of the dinosaur era) and how it may have contributed to the extinction events that occurred at the end of this era. I will also discuss how scientists determine the composition of ancient atmospheres. The Cretaceous period was from 145 to 65.5 million years ago. You had the early cretaceous epoch and the late cretaceous epoch. Mass extinction happened and comprised of 80-90% of marine species and 85% of land species, including the dinosaurs. About half of all life-forms died out, including the dinosaurs, pterosaurs, plesiosaurs, ammonites, and many families of fish, snails, sponges, sea urchins (Benton, 2003). The meteor impact inhibited photosynthesis. The atmosphere was filled with dust cloud which blocked the sunlight for at least a year. Sulfuric acid was injected into the stratosphere. This also created a reduction in sunlight to the Earth by 20%. Because the atmosphere was filled with this acid and dust clouds the plant life and small creatures would die off. It takes at least 10 years for the atmosphere to clear itself of these pollutants. An impact such as this can also produce acid rain. There are many animals that can not handle acid rain. Therefore, this would also play a part in extinction of species. (www.tulane.edu). When it comes to how scientists determine the composition of ancient atmospheres, I found the following; “Ages of ice samples found on the Earth cover a span approaching...
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...Dinosaurs never seize to amaze paleontologists, researchers, and science in general in the modern world today. The gigantic creatures (up to thirty feet long, ten feet tall and weighed up to twelve tons) that once walked and ruled the face of the earth millions of years ago have fascinated the human race for centuries. This does not come as a surprise, the existence of such amazing, larger than life beings gives insight and a sense of wonder to people. Dinosaurs were known to have roamed the Earth millions of years ago with their existence proven by fossil discoveries of archaeologists throughout the world. One of the most recognized dinosaurs is the Triceratops, the herbivore dinosaur known for its three horns and frill. The fossils can hardly be missed on this dinosaur, with the horns, deep, bold cheek bones and large size. The Triceratops’ skull was 1/3 the length of its entire body. This enormous, stocky creature was said to have evolved from a smaller but related species that was recently found in China. The fossil remains date to the very end of the Cretaceous period, right before the meteor impact. So, they were one of the last dinosaurs standing before the extinction. The Triceratops proved to be an interesting dinosaur as its extinction still raises questions at present times today. The first named specimen of the Triceratops was found near Denver Colorado in 1887. Originally the bones were believed to belong to a particularly large and unusual bison, but then later...
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...of Pangaea because of the arid climate that they were adapted to; however, the end of the Permian period and included the mass extinction of many species previously alive, including many reptiles. The reason for this extinction has not yet been uncovered. The Mesozoic era (251-66 mya) that ensued is known as the Age of Reptiles due to the fact that reptiles that survived the mass extinction thrived in all ecological roles left absent by dead species. Crocodile-like reptiles called thecodonts evolved into dinosaurs. Dinosaurs dominated all terrestrial life approximately 150 mya ago beginning 235 mya. With the first appearances of dinosaurs came the deformation of Pangaea. The different landmasses harbored differing climates, which killed species of dinosaurs that could not adapt and encouraged the growth of dinosaurs that could. Dinosaurs from different eras were rather unlike and have differing theories surrounding the causes for their extinction. These dinosaurs include the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous Dinosaurs. “The oldest known dinosaurs fossils are in rocks from the early Triassic period, about 235 million years ago. By the end of the Triassic, small carnivorous dinosaurs were very common and had largely replaced the thecodonts.” (Holt, Biology, 820) Furthermore, there are several causes that contributed to the success of dinosaurs: dinosaurs were faster and more lithe runners than the thecodonts because of their bipedal legs, they possessed useful adaptations to the...
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...A French paleontologist by the name of Philippe Taquet named this approximately 110-115 million-year-old dinosaur genus in 1976. The bones were discovered in the Gadoufaoua beds of northeast Niger, Africa just ten years earlier. There are currently two nearly complete skeletal structures associated with this dinosaur; both found in the southern Sahara Desert, and one of them Taquet researched. This paper will continue to discuss the Ouranosaurus in its entirety. It will start with background information, including how to pronounce its name, what it looked like, how it was classified, and which dinosaurs it was similar to. The paper will end with more descriptive aspects, such as when and where the dinosaur lived, what and how it ate, who its...
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...Week One - University of Phoenix Material Earth and Earth Materials Worksheet Part 1: Layers of the Earth • Complete the following diagram by identifying and naming Earth’s layers. Layers of the Earth [pic] • Write a 150-word summary or list that describes the basic attributes of the layers you listed in the diagram. The inner core is made of solid metal, mostly iron-nickel alloy. The outer core is made of the same substance, just molten. The outer core is about the same temperature as the surface of the sun, while the inner core is cooler, thus making it solid. Scientists have confirmed this by examining waves and how they pass through the layers. The next layer is the Mesosphere, made of hard dense rock. It lies just beneath the Asthenosphere with is liquid magma. It is a tar like substance that spews out of volcanoes. Above that is the Lithosphere which is weak brittle rock that makes up the crust of the earth. This basically floats on the lithosphere like a marshmallow on hot chocolate. This is how the plates on the earth move around by seismic activity, and how volcanic eruptions happen. The rock on the crust is brittle and easily formed into mountains or broken apart. Part 2: Rocks and Minerals Summary • Complete the following WileyPLUS® GeoDiscoveries®: Chapter 2- Ungraded • Minerals Drag-Drop • Density of Minerals • Silicate Links • Igneous Rocks and Silicates • Virtual Rock Lab Graded •...
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...Interestingly, there is a group of living plants - the whisk ferns - which resembles Rhynia. Psilotum nudum which grows in moist, shady habitats in the Caribbean is such a plant. At one time, Psilotum was thought to be a surviving relative of Rhynia. It is, however, more generally thought to be a Fern Ally, related to the Ferns, with loss of features such as leaves and roots. Event 13 “IN SEARCH OF THE LOST CHORDATE” FINDING THE ANCESTOR OF VERTEBRATES (AND OURSELVES) 530 million years ago The Cambrian explosion created all the major phyla of animals that we have today. This includes the phyla Chordata (chordates). Primitive forms are creatures with evidence of a notochord, a structural rod of cartilage and neural tissue running down the long axis of the body. This notochord was the early precursor to the spine in vertebrates (animals with a true backbone, like fish), and modern examples of simple chordates include sea squirts and lancelets. Two Cambrian fossil localities are of key importance here: Chengjiang in Yunnan Province, southern China, and the Burgess Shales in the British Columbia Rockies of Canada. Both of these localities have produced fossils classified as chordates. The Chinese forms include the forms Myllokunmingia and Haikouichthys (it has even been suggested these could be primitive vertebrate jawless fish). The Canadian form (somewhat later in the Cambrian period) is Pikaia, which especially resembles the modern lancelet. Event 15 “GET OUT OF THE...
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...------------------------------------------------- University of Phoenix Material Earth and Earth Materials I Worksheet From Visualizing Earth Science, by Merali, Z., and Skinner, B. J, 2009, Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Copyright 2009 by Wiley. Adapted with permission. Part 1 Complete the WileyPLUS® GeoDiscoveries Earth Drag and Drop from Chapter 1. Label and describe each letter in the space below. A B C D E F G H A. Ocean | B. Continental crust | C. Oceanic crust | D. Solid inner core | E. Liquid outer core | F. Mesosphere | G. Anthenosphere | H. Lithosphere | Part 2 Resources: Minerals Drag and Drop (Chapter 2) Virtual Rock Lab (Chapter 2) * * Complete the following WileyPLUS® GeoDiscoveries and answer the following questions: What is the difference between a rock and a mineral? A mineral is a naturally going on the non-living compound with a unique chemical structure and the physical properties. An the rock is a solid, rocky mass composed of a combination of minerals or other organic complex. 1. 2. What types of tests are used to identify minerals? The type of test that are used to identify a mineral is I think depending on the colour,luster, and the hardness and as well the gravity. Also by the event test the chemical of the mineral they can see what type it is. 3. Part 3 1. Label the part and mineral resource that compose each part of this lightbulb. Refer...
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...Dinosaurs and the Bible There is widespread controversy about dinosaurs: When did they roam the earth? Did they coexist with humans? Why did they go extinct? These are common questions that evolutionists and creationists alike try to explain. In the article “Dinosaurs and the Bible” Ken Ham tries to explain biblically these common questions about dinosaurs. He explains that in the school systems today, we are taught that dinosaurs lived millions of year ago and went extinct before humans were even on the earth. Ham then refutes this by explaining that dinosaurs did in fact exist with humans, and using the bible as his reference proves his point. According to the language of this article, it seems that this article is aimed at a reader who isn’t knowledgeable on the subject. He uses simple language, and gives additional explanations for certain concepts of evolution, and ideas that he uses. This aids in the comprehension of the beliefs that Ham proposes. Ham certainly proves his credibility throughout by giving multiple scripture passages, and using the evolutionist theories to strengthen his statements. He clearly explains his beliefs in a convincing way. He also raises many common questions, and then gives a logical answer that fits perfectly with his ideas. However, there could have been more counter arguments to further back up the statements made by Ham. In the conclusion of the article, Ham gives the gospel message, which could possibly be viewed...
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