Volcanoes Killed The Dinosaurs, New Evidence Suggests

Accepted theory holds that the dinosaurs became extinct after a large asteroid crashed into Earth, rending the environment uninhabitable. However, that theory is facing a serious challenge as evidence mounts that it may have been massive volcanic eruptions in India that ended the species:

Huge volcanic eruptions that belched sulfur into the air for around 10,000 years could have killed the dinosaurs, according to new evidence unearthed by geologists.

Evidence is accumulating that it wasn't an asteroid that did the beasts in, but volcanoes -- the first real challenge the extinction theory has met in three decades.

A combination of studies on dinosaur fossils, magnetic signatures in rocks and the timing of the disappearance of different species suggest it was volcanoes, not an asteroid, that caused the dinosaurs' extinction.

"We're discovering ... amazingly large flows, amazingly short time scales and amazing volcanic (eruptions)," said Vincent Courtillot of the University of Paris, who is is presenting new evidence for the volcano theory this week at the American Geophysical Union conference here.

In related news, scientists have discovered new dinosaurs in the Sahara desert, in what they deem to be an astonishing prehistoric "river of the giants":

A prehistoric 'river of the giants' that was once home to gigantic fish, towering dinosaurs and 60 foot long crocodiles has been unearthed by British fossil hunters.

The river - as wide as the Danube - flowed across the Sahara desert 100 million years ago, surrounded by lush forests, waterways and lakes.

The site has yielded some of the most exciting African prehistoric finds in years - including the tip of a giant flying reptile's beak and a limb bone from a 65 foot long plant-eating dinosaur. Both are thought to be new species.

Other finds include the remains of a crocodile the length of two double deckers, two inch long scales shed by an freshwater predatory fish, and teeth from a massive sawfish.

Rare dinosaur footprints were also found at the site, near the Algerian border in south-east Morocco.

Comments

[geobushono]

Which major Research University will be the first to request a grant for a volcano suppression feasibility study. they could kill us next. omigod.
Sixty foot crocs.....­wow.

[MaximMaximus]

What makes you think that it hasn't happened?

[bbriani3842]

It was most likely caused by a dinosaur related to Bush in some way. . .yeah. . .a Bush-o-saurus. . .it probably started some chain-reaction back then with something small and stupid like a rock slide that caused the side of a dormant volcano to sheer off. . .you betch-ya

[JackND]

Did the volcanoes spew iridium?

[shengirl]

Are they talking about the "Deccan Traps" in India? Yeah, so then what caused this massive lava flow? Maybe an asteroid impact somewhere on the globe triggered it? Or did it just happen by itself, for no reason?

[grdndoctor]

Bravo!!!

Why can't Scientists all get along?

They are ALL correct.

[jimmyjones22]

Well, the indian sub continent has been dry humping the asia continent for a while. Techtonic plates move because of constant subduction.

[Kevin Casey]

Ha, I was thinking the same thing as I was reading the article.

[Cid]

"And if cockroaches outsurvive humans, then ..." God could then possibly be a cockroach? What if nothing survives after us?... Then maybe God is really a ball of dirt. Either that, or a 'Magical Dinosaur Deity', who wasn't as perfect as was probably previously believed.

** Sorry for the double post. I inadvertently started another thread ;)

[shengirl]

maybe God is a styrofoam peanut... like the good Lord they are everywhere and exist forever...­.

[bbriani3842]

If that's the case, then maybe God is a Starbucks. . .or a Wal-Mart. . .or a plastic bag from a big box store. . .

[LiarLiarIraqsOnFire]

...Cockroa­ches, Keith Richards & Goldman Sachs.

[Cid]

"And if cockroaches outsurvive humans, then ..." God could then possibly be a cockroach? What if nothing survives after us?... Then maybe God is really a ball of dirt. Either that, or a 'Magical Dinosaur Deity', who wasn't as perfect as was probably previously believed.

[blueskybigstar]

What one will find in the circumstance of any object hit by a projectile with enough force-- say it is the earth or a rock or a human and say the projectile a b u l l e t or meteor or asteroid or comet-- from one side of the object, there will be release of force on the opposite side of the receiving body just from the power released from the shock wave.

Therefore, it is perfectly possible that the force of the impact also displayed itself at the opposite side of the earth. The impact could very well have caused the volcanoes and may have even separated India from Africa. The exit wound is most often worse than the entrance wound, though I doubt the projectile went through the center of the earth. The shock waves would be enough to cause major volcanic activity.

[westcoastsc]

Okay, you heard it here first. It has been documented. I expect all credit.

[Maxbyte]

I'm not going to hypothesize an alternate source of seismic energy, but if I did, "the big bang" probably qualifies as such a force... silly as it is to focus on domino effects. Who cares what "caused" massive volcanic activity? In any event, all dinosaur-demise hypotheses remain just that. We're still doing a lot of path-finding. No one is ready to call the mystery "solved".

[yodaveg]

It wasn't volcanoes. It was trans-fats.

[jazzblues]

LMAO...tha­t was funny!!...­hehehe

[shamaniceconomist]

The lava evidence would seem to support the asteroid theory, as large impacts are thought to be the primary causes of sudden massive increases in volcanic activity. If you want to say "not an asteroid," you at least have to hypothesize an alternate source for the seismic energy.

[EndangeredJackalope]

God just handpicking humans for survival over our dinosaur cohabitants, with a little atmosphere blocking volcanic activity, no biggie.

[dorkenergy]

And if cockroaches outsurvive humans, then ...