Dinosaurs: An Overview

Dinosaurs, a diverse group of reptiles, dominated Earth's terrestrial ecosystems for over 160 million years. Contrary to popular belief, not all dinosaurs were giants; some were as small as chickens.

Recent fossil discoveries confirm that feathers were not exclusive to birds. Many dinosaurs, including the fierce Velociraptor, likely sported feathers, suggesting a complex evolution of plumage.

Like trees, some dinosaur fossils show growth rings in their bones, indicating seasonal changes. These rings can reveal the dinosaur's age at death and how fast it grew.

Dinosaur diets were as varied as their sizes. From the plant-eating giant Brachiosaurus to the meat-craving Tyrannosaurus rex, each species had specialized teeth for their preferred diet.

Without living specimens, it's difficult to determine how dinosaurs communicated. However, the structure of their skulls suggests that some could produce complex sounds, perhaps even calls we might consider melodic.

Pangaea's breakup influenced dinosaur evolution. Isolation on separate continents allowed for diverse species development, leading to unique dinosaur communities across the ancient world.

While the asteroid impact theory is widely known, other hypotheses for dinosaur extinction include volcanic activity, climate change, and disease. Multiple factors likely contributed to the end of the dinosaur era.