WHY ? is our attempt to answerall the questions every small fry expect . Do you have a interrogation ? Send it towhy@mentalfloss.com .
Actually , there are still dinosaurs : Birds ! But allow ’s talk about that a little afterwards . Scientists have found hint in tilt and fossils that tell us that by 65 million age ago , theclimate(CLY - met ) , or common weather , of the Earth had convert a lot , becoming cooler and drier . That was hard on the heat - love dinosaur . But that ’s not why almost all of the dinosaur becameextinct , or disappeared forever . Scientists believe a horrific issue happen that killed them off .
In 1991 , scientists discovered a huge 110 - mile - long volcanic crater , or hole , in the Gulf of Mexico . They conceive this crater was made by a giant , fiery , 6 - international mile - wideasteroid(AST - er - oyd ) from distance that smashed into the Earth about 65 million years ago . The impact was more knock-down than any bomb we have ever known . Scientists trust this event killed most plant and animal living — including the dinosaurs . The asteroid probably caused shockwaves , earthquakes , fireballs , wildfires , and tidal , or really self-aggrandising , wave . It also sent huge total of dust and natural gas into the ambience , which is like a adult blanket of air that surround the Earth . That was really bad for the satellite .
The dust blocked sun , making the planet very cold-blooded and benighted . Then , over prison term , the gas pedal trapped heat , causing the Earth to get even hot than it was before the asteroid pip . This change was deadly for most dinosaurs , and they became nonextant . But birds hold out . Many millions of years to begin with , they hadevolved(ee - VOL - ved ) , or convert slowly over meter , from one group of dinosaurs . And when the dinosaurs disappeared , mammalsdiversified(die - VERSE - uh - fide ) , or changed , into many different kinds of animals — including us , many millions of yr subsequently . So the next time you see a bird slide by , roll hello to the little flying dinosaur !
