What If: Dinosaurs
What: Dinosaurs were animals that dominated the land from 235 to 65 million years ago, which included the, Jurassic and Triassic periods. Not all of the animals from this period that are thought of as Dinosaurs are actually Dinosaurs. For example, Plesiosaurs and Mosasaurs are commonly called Dinosaurs but are not, they are marine reptiles, well almost.
Around 65 million years ago, the Dinosaurs along with a significant portion of other life was wiped out. There are several theories as to what wiped them out, the most common being a comment or meteor hitting the Earth, but at the same time there were volcanic eruptions happening on a large scale. It may well have been a combination of the two which wiped them out. Either way, this raises two possible what if's:
- What If: The Dinosaurs had never evolved?
- What If: The Dinosaurs had not been wiped out?
What If: The Dinosaurs had never evolved?
The Dinosaurs ruled the Earth for 170 million years, in contrast the Human Race has walked the earth for just a couple of million years, 3.5 million years if we assume the start was Australopithecus afarensis (i.e. Lucy), although we can probably go back further.
As the Dinosaurs did not exist, from which birds and feathers evolved, neither are now present in the modern world. Mammals were scurrying around at the time of the Dinosaurs, along with other animals. To say which would have taken hold is impossible, but let us assume mammals take the lead. So mammals took the lead and evolved in to a wide variety of animals such as the Sabre tooth Tiger, Indricotherium and Woolly Rhinocerous. Apes ventured down from the trees around 170 million years ago which was the start of the human species (i.e. this was Australopithecus afarensis). During this time, mammals like the Bats had evolved in to a wide variety of flying animals taking the place of birds. Their wings had increased in size and fur evolved to be flat and wide, similar to the feather.
A mere 3.5 million years later, 166.5 million years ago, modern humans had evolved. What happens between 166.5 million years ago and today? Who knows? We continued our evolutionary and technological development, abolished war and poverty and spread out in to space. Or did we go in to World War III and wipe out the human race for another to come along and take our place?
What If: The Dinosaurs had not been wiped out?
Mammals, including the Human race, would not be what it is today. Mammals are still about, but are small and have not evolved in to larger or more intelligent animals. Birds had evolved from the Dinosaurs; however, these birds would have now evolved to compete with the large Dinosaurs living on the land. They would be large, well armoured or able to quickly flee an approaching T-Rex. Some people have speculated that one species of Dinosaur may have become more dominant and/or intelligent and evolved in to a humanoid with abilities and brains much like our own. This may well have been true, I do not think so though. Dinosaurs did continue to evolve over the last 65 million years, armour becoming better adapted, weapon being more highly refined and effective and far more diversity.
