What If Dinosaurs Survived? A World Coexisting with Giants
Imagine a world where the asteroid never struck, or perhaps its impact was far less devastating. A world where the Age of Reptiles never truly ended. What would that world look like? In short, it would be dramatically different – a landscape sculpted by the continued dominance of dinosaurs, impacting everything from the evolution of mammals (including humans) to the very ecosystems we rely on today. The most likely scenario is that mammals would have remained a niche group, never achieving the dominance that allowed for the evolution of primates and, ultimately, humans. While some believe that dinosaurs, given millions more years of evolution, could have developed intelligence comparable to humans, the fossil record offers little evidence to support such a claim. They might have developed slightly bigger brains, but there’s little to suggest they’d become “geniuses”. Instead, we’d likely still have those supergiant, long-necked herbivores and huge tyrannosaur-like predators. Humans probably would have done okay, as we already evolved in ecosystems that had large land animals and predators.
The population of the earth would be reduced, cut perhaps in half by the dinosaurs, especially if humans could no longer survive with them. The number of plants and animals would also be reduced. It’s a fascinating, and perhaps frightening, thought experiment that reveals just how contingent our own existence is on seemingly random events in Earth’s history.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About a Dinosaur-Dominated World
Would Humans Exist If Dinosaurs Survived?
Most paleontologists believe that without the mass extinction event 66 million years ago, mammals would likely have remained small and relatively insignificant. The ecological niches filled by dinosaurs prevented mammals from diversifying and growing in size and complexity. Therefore, it’s highly improbable that humans, as we know them, would have evolved. We might see some form of intelligent life evolve from smaller mammals, or, the dinosaurs themselves might evolve to develop an intelligence equal to ours.
Could Dinosaurs Have Evolved Human-Like Intelligence?
While fascinating to consider, there’s no guarantee. Evolution doesn’t necessarily lead to intelligence. Many creatures have thrived for millions of years without developing advanced cognitive abilities. While some dinosaurs were undoubtedly intelligent (velociraptors, for example, were likely quite clever), the transition to human-level intelligence is a huge leap that requires specific evolutionary pressures and advantageous mutations. Given the large size of dinosaurs, the cost to develop a large brain might have been too much.
Would Mammals Have Remained Small and Insignificant?
Probably. Dinosaurs occupied the dominant ecological roles. They would have outcompeted mammals for resources, limiting their size, diversity, and evolutionary potential. Mammals would likely have continued to exist in the shadows, filling niche roles like nocturnal hunters or scavengers.
What Would the Ecosystems Look Like?
Ecosystems would be fundamentally different. Large herbivores, like sauropods, would shape plant life. Large carnivores would exert strong predatory pressure. Smaller mammals would evolve to avoid dinosaurs. The overall biodiversity might be lower, as large dinosaurs consume lots of plant life and mammals.
Would We Be Able to Revive Dinosaurs Today?
Unfortunately, cloning a dinosaur is extremely unlikely. DNA breaks down over time. Scientists estimate that the final best by date for DNA is about a million years after an organism’s death. As the article says, “We’re about 65 million years too late for retrieving viable dinosaur DNA.” Even if we could find fragments of DNA, piecing them together to create a complete genome would be a monumental (and perhaps impossible) task. Furthermore, even if we could create a dinosaur embryo, finding a suitable surrogate mother would be another major hurdle.
What If the Asteroid Had Hit a Different Part of the Planet?
The location of the asteroid impact played a crucial role in the severity of the extinction event. Had it struck in a less geologically sensitive area (for example, the Atlantic ocean), the resulting environmental changes might have been less catastrophic, potentially allowing some dinosaur species to survive.
Which Dinosaurs Would Have the Best Chance of Survival in the Modern World?
Smaller, more adaptable species would have a better chance. Herbivorous dinosaurs like Hypsilophodon might be able to adapt to modern environments better than large carnivores like Tyrannosaurus rex, who rely on a large number of smaller prey animals. All big forms like sauropods would nowadays starve because we don’t have any forests big enough to hold herds of these animals.
Would Humans and Dinosaurs Be Able to Coexist Peacefully?
Coexistence would be challenging. “Unarmed, solitary humans are still easy targets for large predators like bears and lions,” agrees Arbour. “But overall humans are pretty good at surviving alongside large, dangerous animals.” The potential for conflict would be high, especially with large carnivorous dinosaurs. Humans would likely need to develop advanced technologies and strategies to protect themselves and their livestock. The result could be an ongoing war between humans and the dinosaures, or both groups could find a way to coexist together.
What Would Dinosaur Meat Taste Like?
Velociraptor may have truly tasted like chicken. Larger dinos, on the other hand, likely had large muscles that were constantly moving and needed a lot of oxygen, so they might’ve more closely resembled beef or venison. Animals can also take on the flavor of things they eat.
Could Dinosaurs Talk?
Based on what scientists know about birds, dinosaurs likely did not have vocal cords. Instead, they had air sacs, and it is possible dinosaurs had a birdlike syrinx, too (an organ similar to our larynxes but two-pronged and lower in the chest). It is more likely dinosaurs communicated through body language.
Which Dinosaur Never Existed?
Forget Extinct: The Brontosaurus Never Even Existed. The story starts 130 years ago, in a time known as the “Bone Wars.”
What is the Closest Living Thing to Dinosaurs?
It is correct to say that birds are the closest living relatives to all EXTINCT dinosaurs. The closest living relatives of ALL dinosaurs are the crocodilians (crocodiles, alligators, gharials).
Did Every Dinosaur Go Extinct?
‘All of the non-bird dinosaurs died out, but dinosaurs survived as birds. Some types of bird did go extinct, but the lineages that led to modern birds survived. ‘ Initially the survivors were small, with birds the first to experience evolution to larger sizes.
What Was the Baddest Dinosaur?
Tyrannosaurus rex. The meaning of its name is tyranted lizard king, which shows it will always be one of the scariest and deadliest dinosaurs around with a bite force three times that of a great white shark – making it the strongest bite force of any land animal that has ever lived.
How Did Humans Survive but Dinosaurs Didn’t?
Human ancestors thrived when dinosaurs vanished. Their research shows that placental mammals began to flourish only after the asteroid impact wiped out the dinosaurs. This suggests that the removal of dinosaurs as competition allowed these mammals to diversify and thrive. This also shows that even if the dinosaurs still survived, human existence would not be guaranteed.
The survival of dinosaurs would have rewritten Earth’s history. While we can only speculate about the specifics, it is clear that our world would be unrecognizable, a testament to the power of extinction events and their profound impact on the evolution of life. Learning more about the history of our world is the key to ensuring the future of the coming generations. To discover more about learning with games and simulations, visit the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.