Mammal biomes alien to dinosaurs
2007/03/29 Rementeria Argote, Nagore - Elhuyar Zientziaren Komunikazioa
It is often said that mammals proliferated thanks to the great disappearance of dinosaurs, that is, they somehow occupied the place ceded some sixty-five million years ago. But in reality it was not so. According to a study by researchers from the Technical University of Munich, the greatest diversification of mammals occurred much later than the disappearance of dinosaurs.
Researchers have used fossil data and DNA studies to know when mammals diversified. And they have seen that they diversified especially in two epochs: eighty-five million years ago (the dinosaurs still lived) and fifty million years ago (the dinosaurs disappeared and, therefore, many). The latter was the most prosperous diversification time of mammals, probably due to the significant warming that occurred in the Earth's climate (in some places the average temperature increased by about 7ºC).
They say the results of the research are not exhaustive, but serve at least to reach the main conclusion that the disappearance of dinosaurs did not provoke the mammal boom.
Gai honi buruzko eduki gehiago
Elhuyarrek garatutako teknologia
