Scientists Just Revealed Where Dinosaurs Really Came From – This Changes Everything! – The Daily Galaxy –Great Discoveries Channel
For decades, scientists believed dinosaurs first emerged in the temperate regions of ancient Earth. But a groundbreaking new study suggests everything we thought we knew might be wrong. Hidden deep in the steamy equatorial zones of Gondwana lies a secret that could rewrite the history of these iconic creatures.The story of how dinosaurs came to dominate Earth has fascinated scientists and the public for generations. But what if we’ve been looking in the wrong places for their earliest ancestors? A groundbreaking new study suggests that the first dinosaurs may have emerged not in the temperate regions of ancient Earth, but in the steamy equatorial zones – areas that today encompass the Amazon rainforest, the Congo basin, and the Sahara Desert. This revelation challenges long-held assumptions about dinosaur origins and opens up exciting new avenues for fossil discovery.For decades, the oldest known dinosaur fossils, dating back approximately 230 million years, have been found in regions like Argentina, Brazil, and Zimbabwe. However, these fossils hint at a much earlier evolutionary history that remains shrouded in mystery. A recent study published in Current Biology uses advanced modeling techniques to reconstruct the likely emergence of dinosaurs, suggesting that their true origins lie in the equatorial regions of Gondwana. This research not only redefines our understanding of dinosaur evolution but also highlights the critical gaps in the fossil record that have obscured their early history.The oldest dinosaur fossils discovered so far provide only a snapshot of a much longer evolutionary journey. These fossils, found in South America and Africa, indicate that dinosaurs had already been evolving for millions of years before these specimens existed. This raises a critical question: where are the fossils of their earliest ancestors?The new study, led by Joel Heath from University College London, addresses this gap by treating regions without fossil evidence as areas of missing data rather than proof of absence. “Dinosaurs are well studied, but we still don’t really know where they came from. The fossil record has such large gaps that it can’t be taken at face value,” Heath explains. By analyzing fossils, evolutionary trees, and ancient geography, the researchers reconstructed the likely origins of dinosaurs in the equatorial regions of Gondwana.This approach challenges the traditional view that dinosaurs first evolved in temperate environments. Instead, the study suggests that the earliest dinosaurs thrived in hot, arid regions resembling modern deserts and savannas. Despite this compelling evidence, no fossils from these early dinosaurs have been found in the Amazon or Central Africa – a mystery that underscores the need for further exploration in these understudied regions.The Late Triassic period, when dinosaurs first appeared, was a world teeming with diverse reptilian life. Dinosaurs were far from the dominant creatures they would later become. Instead, they shared their environment with pseudosuchians – crocodile-like reptiles that grew up to 10 meters (33 feet) long – and pterosaurs, the first vertebrates to achieve powered flight.In this competitive ecosystem, early dinosaurs were small, agile, and likely omnivorous. Most were no larger than a chicken or a medium-sized dog, walking on two legs to hunt and scavenge. Their small size and adaptability may have been key to their survival in the harsh, arid environments of equatorial Gondwana.The rise of dinosaurs to global dominance was not immediate. For millions of years, they remained overshadowed by other reptilian groups. However, around 201 million years ago, a series of massive volcanic eruptions triggered the end-Triassic mass extinction, wiping out many of their competitors. This ecological vacuum allowed dinosaurs to diversify and spread, eventually becoming the dominant land animals for the next 135 million years.One of the study’s most intriguing findings is how early dinosaurs adapted to different climates. “Our results suggest early dinosaurs may have been well adapted to hot and arid environments,” notes Professor Philip Mannion, a senior author of the study. This adaptation is particularly evident in sauropods, the group that includes giants like Brontosaurus and Diplodocus, which remained in warm, low-latitude regions throughout their existence.In contrast, theropods (including T. rex and modern birds) and ornithischians (such as stegosaurs and Triceratops) developed the ability to generate their own body heat. This adaptation allowed them to expand into colder regions, including the polar areas, by the Jurassic period. This shift in climate tolerance may have been a key factor in their long-term evolutionary success.The study also sheds light on the evolutionary relationship between early dinosaurs and their closest relatives. By testing their model against different evolutionary trees, the researchers found strong support for the idea that silesaurids – traditionally considered distant cousins of dinosaurs – were actually direct ancestors of ornithischians. This finding helps fill a major gap in the dinosaur evolutionary tree and provides new insights into how these iconic creatures diversified over time.Despite the study’s compelling conclusions, direct fossil evidence of the earliest dinosaurs in equatorial Gondwana remains elusive. The dense rainforests of the Amazon and the shifting sands of the Sahara are among the least-explored fossil sites on Earth, making them prime targets for future expeditions. If dinosaurs did originate in these regions, as the study suggests, their earliest ancestors may still lie buried, waiting to be discovered.The study is published in the journal Current Biology.Got a reaction? Share your thoughts in the commentsEnjoyed this article? Subscribe to our free newsletter for engaging stories, exclusive content, and the latest news.Don’t use AI to produce your illustrations.Doesn’t “change” “everything”.Comment Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
© 2024 | Daily Galaxy | All rights reserved
