Dinosaurs were so big for several reasons.
For one thing, they had to be big to be fast. The faster they were, the more likely they would escape from their predators.
This is especially true for sauropods who had to run faster to escape from theropods–traditionally meat-eating dinosaurs.
Larger animals also require more food to survive and store more fat when food is scarce, giving them a better chance of survival in harsh environments.
Larger animals also have a better chance of fighting off their predators because it’s easier for larger animals to inflict damage on smaller animals with their larger size and greater strength.
In addition, some dinosaurs evolved into gigantic sizes to defend themselves against other species. The titanosaurs were so huge that they could fight off any other carnivore that attacked them, using their massive size and weight to crush or step on them.
Why Were Dinosaurs so Big?
There are many theories surrounding the large size of dinosaurs. Here are a few theories that may throw light on why dinosaurs were so big.
Vegetation Fueled Their Size
There are many theories about why dinosaurs were so big. Some scientists believe that the dinosaurs were big because of the surplus vegetation available during their time. This is because of the warmer climate and excess carbon dioxide. Plants use carbon dioxide during photosynthesis and this meant there was abundant vegetation around that helped dinosaurs get all the nourishment they needed.
Helps With Defense
There are some scientists who believe that the dinosaurs were larger because they had to be, in order to survive. Meaning, they had to be bigger than their predators. If a predator was larger than the prey, it would have been easier for them to hunt and kill their prey. So, the dinosaurs that were not as big would have been more likely to die because of predation.
They Were Big Because They Were Cold-Blooded
Another theory states that dinosaurs were big because they were cold-blooded. They had to eat a lot of food to keep their body temperature up. As they grew, so did their appetite. They had to continue eating more food just to keep their body temperature up. As a result, they became giants.
Why Didn’t Dinosaurs Evolve to Be More Intelligent?
Dinosaurs dominated the earth for about 160 million years. One might think that they would have outlived other animals and evolved to be more intelligent, but they never had a chance in reality.
Dinosaurs died off when a meteorite hit the earth and killed them off. There was no chance for them to evolve at all because they simply did not live long enough.
Humanity has been around for over 200,000 years, but humans have only been civilized for about 4,000 years. Humans are constantly changing and adapting to our environment.
Evolution occurs when a species changes over time and becomes stronger to survive in its new environment.
Dinosaurs did not have enough time to do this, so they were wiped off the face of the earth with all of their potential evolution, which left humans as the most successful species on earth today.
When Did Dinosaurs Become Extinct?
Dinosaurs became extinct around 65 million years ago. The most popular theory about their extinction is that an asteroid hit the earth, causing the extinction of all non-avian dinosaurs.
However, the reasons for this extinction are still debated.
Did All The Dinosaurs Live Together, and at the Same Time?
There are two schools of thought on this subject. One believes all the dinosaurs lived together at the same time and roamed Earth together, while the other believes dinosaurs lived separately and at different times during the Mesozoic Era.
Those who believe all the dinosaurs lived together simultaneously suggest they were so successful because they were able to adapt to any environment.
Those who believe all the dinosaurs lived separately and at different times during the Mesozoic Era suggest that they could not have been as successful because they would have had to change their lifestyles if their environment had changed.
They also suggest that adaptations would have been lost from those who could not adapt to a new environment.
This theory suggests a more gradual development of species during a long period rather than a sudden change in lifestyle for those who stayed in one area for too long or moved to an area with an unsuitable habitat.
Were Dinosaurs Warm-Blooded or Cold-Blooded?
Dinosaurs are classified as reptiles. Reptiles are a group of cold-blooded animals and have scales or scutes on their skin.
The first reptiles appeared during the Permian Period, more than 250 million years ago. The earliest reptiles were small, lizard-like creatures with long bodies and short legs.
Even though they had scales, they were warm-blooded like mammals rather than cold-blooded like modern reptiles.
They were called ‘cold-blooded’ because they took in heat from the environment around them instead of generating it through metabolic activity in their bodies like birds, mammals, and humans do.
Today reptiles have a worldwide distribution, though only about 5% of all living species are considered true reptiles (the rest being birds and mammals).
Where Did Dinosaurs Live?
Dinosaurs lived on Earth from about 230 million years ago to 65 million years ago. They were an extinct group of reptiles that dominated the land for over 160 million years.
Paleontologists have found fossils of more than 1,000 different types of dinosaurs. They have identified so many different types of dinosaurs because they have used several different methods.
For example, they have used bone mapping to find where a dinosaur’s bones are located and then excavated them.
Did Dinosaurs Lay Eggs?
There is a lot of discussion about whether dinosaurs laid eggs or gave birth to live babies. There are two main theories, and each has its own set of evidence to support it.
The first theory is that they laid eggs like modern-day reptiles, such as turtles and crocodiles.
There are three main pieces of evidence for this theory:
1) the shape of the pelvic bones
2) the shape and size of the eggshells
3) the discovery of fossilized embryos in some dinosaur eggs.
The second theory is that dinosaurs gave birth to live babies, just like humans and most mammals do today.
There are two main pieces of evidence for this theory:
1) some fossilized skeletons have an opening in the pelvis that would have been used for a birthing canal
2) some fossils have been found with fully-formed teeth, meaning they were likely born alive.
Final Thoughts
Dinosaurs were reptiles that lived on Earth around 250 million years ago. Not all dinosaurs were big, but some of the bigger ones weighed over 100,000 pounds.
Most dinosaurs had teeth shaped like large serrations, and they were carnivores. Some of them also had features like horns or tusks.
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