Dinosaur Extinction Theories Flashcards
1
Q
Q: Which theories have been proposed for the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs?
A
A:
Mammals eating dinosaur eggs (unlikely)
Climate change from volcanism (plausible)
Climate change from plate tectonics (plausible)
Meteorite impact (widely accepted)
Global disease (no evidence)
Effects of a supernova (difficult to test)
2
Q
Q: Why is the “mammals eating eggs” theory unlikely?
A
A: Dinosaurs coexisted successfully with mammals for millions of years, so it’s improbable that mammals suddenly caused their extinction.
