A number of different theories have been assessed throughout the course of this research to attempt to reach a conclusion as to the reason behind the extinction of the Tyrannosaurus Rex. Although all arguments are credible, and supportive with educated information and data, the most conclusive theory of all is The Alvarez Asteroid Impact theory.
Alvarez, a researcher at the University of California, discovered a pencil thin layer of Iridium around the rocks in Gubbio, Italy. (New Scientist, 1) Iridium is an element found in meteorites and asteroids. In 1980 it was proven that the layer if Iridium was evidence of a huge comet or meteorite that crashed into the earth sixty five million years ago. The normal amount of Iridium an area is to have is 0.
001 on an average. The layer of Iridium found in Gubbio Italy was 0. 003. Thirty times the average amount in parts per million.
(New Scientist, 1) The theory of the Alvarez Asteroid states that the strength of this comet is at 10,000 times the explosive power of the global nuclear arsenal. The Alvarez Asteroid theory is the leading explanation as to why the amazing dinosaur creatures died millions of years ago, along with many other animals of the Earth’s Crustaceous Period. The extinction of the Tyrannosaurus Rex was obviously due to the same reason. Every other living species was killed sixty five million years ago. Although it is believed that the asteroid theory is the cause of extinction of the Crustaceous Period, we cannot be positive.
The environmental effects of this problem were that the dinosaurs living during this period perished from the earth and their extinction remains a mystery to us to this day. All we can do to reenact what happened is use the technology we have in the twenty first century to find more evidence to see what went wrong so long ago. By discovering things like what happened to the Tyrannosaurus Rex we can use this information to prevent an event such as a mass extinction from happening a second time. Although it is impossible to rewrite history, we still have to be careful to prevent a catastrophe like the asteroid said to have hit the earth sixty five million years ago. If there is ever a scare of an asteroid as big as the Alvarez Asteroid, one way of preventing it from hitting Earth is have something block it, or collide with it. If our country could do this before it hits the earth, with a missile or something of that sort, it could hit the asteroid and blow it up before it hits the earth.
As regular citizens there isn’t much to do to prevent a problem such as this. If an asteroid wants to hit the earth its going to try to regardless to how people treat the environment. We really have no control in what happens in space, and how our atmosphere works. One way that our country is helping citizens learn about these fascinating creatures that existed so long ago and what happened to them, is our beautiful museums.
The leading dinosaur exhibit is in the Smithsonian. The Smithsonian Museum of Science provides a huge dinosaur exhibit including all of the theories of how dinosaurs were killed. It is very important to educate people on the past, for the future. If they know what happened back then, they will have ideas on how to solve certain problems when they are in charge. There are many technologies used in dinosaur studies. One of course is theMicroscope.
Most scientists use microscopes no matter what field of science they are in. Even paleontologists use them to discover certain characteristics of the fossils they are examining to determine how old they are or what species of dinosaur they belong to. Another technology that we can use today to prevent an event such as the Alvarez Asteroid is telescopes. Telescopes are great. They allow humans to see what they would never dream of being able to see with the naked eye. They let us view things that we could only dream of ever being able to touch.
That is why they are such an important piece of technology. By being able to detect things before they enter our atmosphere, countries could shoot missiles at asteroids to prevent them from hitting the earth and save the human civilization. Not only did dinosaurs die but also 75% of all living things in the PrehistoricPeriod. What occurred was a mass extinction, a worldwide death of most of the living creatures on earth.
It is believed that the death of these creatures was triggered by a collision of an asteroid, 10-km in diameter, with earth. (Melbourne Planetarium, 1)The extinction of the dinosaur race occurred sixty five million years ago when an asteroid between 4 and 9 miles wide hit the earth. When the asteroid hit the earth huge clouds of debris and dust penetrated the air making it almost impossible for living organisms to breathe. As a result of the huge impact to the earth an irruption of all volcanoes took place sending molten rock and lava everywhere. Also since there were oceans the impact to the water created huge tsunamis that splashed upon the earth and severe storms began to rise from this. Since there was so much air pollution due to the volcanic irruptions and all of the debris in the air, the rain became highly acidic.
Since the rain began to turn acidic the chemicals began to change in the Earth’s atmosphere making abnormally high levels of sulfuric acid, nitric acid, and fluoride compounds. Due to all of the debris in the air it is believed that it began to block the sunlight, drastically lowering the temperature making the living conditions unbearable to the organisms that had survived that far. (Zoom Dinosaurs, 1)Besides dinosaurs there were a large of amount of other living organisms thatWere also killed. The asteroid killed 75% of all living organisms in that time. As to the conditions that were described above any human now could see how it would be almost impossible to sustain living conditions sixty five million years ago. ManyOrganisms could not adapt to the temperature and light changes and died.
Also not only moving organisms but plants too. They were probably the first to die due to the changes in the light, without sunlight they wouldn’t be able to live or adapt to the changes because they need sunlight to survive. Many organisms that depended on air in order to breathe also died very quick, since there was so much dust and debris in the air they were unable to cope with the dramatic changes in their climate. (Zoom Dinosaurs, 1)Out of all the animals that were killed during the Crustaceous Period, theTyrannosaurus Rex is the most memorable of all. It was the king of his time and no other dinosaur would stand up to him. On an average, most Tyrannosauruses’ weighed at least seven tons and were over forty feet long.
The T-Rex was the largest meat-eating dinosaur. The teeth of the T-Rex are thick and sharp for the killing of its prey. The T-Rex was also very fast; in fact it could outrun any species of dinosaur if it was hungry enough. Scientists have also found that the Tyrannosaurus was also very smart, it would outwit any prey if it needed a snack, even the Gigantosaurus the only dinosaur that is bigger than the T-Rex wasn’t smarter than the king. (Highlights, 22)The Tyrannosaurus Rex was a very smart and interesting dinosaur and it is unfortunate that we will never be able to see one.
The extinction of dinosaurs was brought on by the Alvarez Theory. It is great to know what actually happened to them now, and also know how to prevent such an occurrence from happening again. If our country uses the technology it has available it will be possible to find out more about the mass extinction of the Crustaceous Period. As the years pass technology becomes more advanced and we will eventually know everything there is to know about what happened sixty five million years ago.
