Easygoing Eyebeast Trenton. Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 So what do you think happened to the dinosaurs? I'm partial to the Meteor theory myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Well-Actually War Trall Actaeon Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 Alien abduction. Actually, I find the P-Tr to be much more intriguing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast The Mystic Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 My guess would be the meteor impact. According to the show Ancient Aliens, a bunch of UFOs came down and wiped out the dinosaurs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Alorael at Large Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 I am not a paleontologist, but most paleontologists seem to support variations on the impact event hypothesis. —Alorael, who will go with what he knows, which is going with what the experts claim to know. So there you go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Randomizer Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 It's a little known fact that dinosaurs were the first intelligent race on the Earth and built rocket ships and left before the meteor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast Triumph Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 Dinosaurs never existed. They are a conspiracy to mislead us about what THEY are really digging. Edit: Although... Originally Posted By: Randomizer It's a little known fact that dinosaurs were the first intelligent race on the Earth and built rocket ships and left before the meteor. I think there was Star Trek: Voyager episode that used that premise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnificent Ornk Dikiyoba Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 Short answer: Dinosaurs haven't gone anywhere. Birds are dinosaurs, and there are plenty of them around today. Long version: The consensus among paleontologists is that a meteor impacted the Earth at what is today Yucatán, Mexico. (Map of the resulting Chicxulub Crater and surrounding area.) Non-avian dinosaurs may or may not have been experiencing a decline in diversity prior to the impact--the evidence isn't conclusive and paleontologists don't agree--but non-avian dinosaurs had small declines and recoveries occasionally throughout the Mesozoic Era, so the answer doesn't make a huge difference either way. There may or may not have been other impacts or giant volcanic eruptions around the same time acting in concert with the Chicxulub Crater meteor. Either way, the impact caused natural disasters worldwide and sent massive amounts of dust into the atmosphere. The result was the total collapse of food chains. Plants and phytoplankton had no light, herbivores had no plants, carnivores had no herbivores, and only organisms that didn't need much food and that could feed on the resulting decay or the decay-eaters survived. Non-avian dinosaurs and most branches of birds (among many other casualties) didn't make it, but the Neornithes birds did, and they've had 65 million years to evolve into new forms and niches (with some smaller declines and extinctions along the way). Also, to practice looking awesome. "Hey, I'm awesome. Also a dinosaur. Get over it." Dikiyoba hasn't been paying enough attention to dinosaurs to know the latest details, but that's the general gist of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Understated Ur-Drakon Sudanna Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Well-Actually War Trall Actaeon Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 The idea that birds are a direct descendent of dinosaurs isn't as universally accepted as it used to be. Also, I think I've given everyone else more than adequate opportunity to post: It ought to be Trenton's avatar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Randomizer Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 The truth about what really happened. What they are doing now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ineffable Wingbolt BMA Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 I can't get this cartoon out of my mind. It showed a group of dinosaurs going around smoking tobacco. * +1. As for the stuffing the mailbox cartoon, it was only recently that I realized what it was all about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnificent Ornk Dikiyoba Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Originally Posted By: Actaeon The idea that birds are a direct descendent of dinosaurs isn't as universally accepted as it used to be. Among who? Most mainstream paleontologists and other scientists agree that birds are dinosaurs, as far as I can tell. If anything, the evidence is stronger now than it has been as more non-avian dinosaurs are found with feathers and other elements of formally bird-only anatomy and physiology. There's a lot of disagreement over what qualifies as a bird, with Archaeopteryx (among many other species) in or not in the bird clade depending on how the evolutionary family tree is put together, and a lot of disagreement on when and how the first bird evolved, but very little over whether birds are dinosaurs. Dikiyoba. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Well-Actually War Trall Actaeon Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Originally Posted By: BMA I can't get this cartoon out of my mind. It showed a group of dinosaurs going around smoking tobacco. That's from the Far Side. A true classic. It's a cladistics thing, Diki. It's beginning to look like they branched off earlier. A minor technicality. Here is a mediocre article until I can find a better, peer reviewed one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Mea Tulpa Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 According to Wikipedia, the view in that article is the minority view among paleontologists. If we want to establish the paleontological consensus, I'm not sure we need a better article, because there will be good articles supporting multiple views. We need someone who understands the current views of paleontologists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Well-Actually War Trall Cairo Jim Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 I was going to bring up crocodiles and the like, but since I can't remember how they fit in to the whole dinosaur picture, I haven't a leg to stand on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnificent Ornk Dikiyoba Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Originally Posted By: Cairo Jim I was going to bring up crocodiles and the like, but since I can't remember how they fit in to the whole dinosaur picture, I haven't a leg to stand on. Crocodilians and dinosaurs are archosaurs, so they are more closely related to each other than they are to other reptiles like turtles and squamates (lizards and snakes). That makes crocodilians useful for comparisons and a good outgroup when doing cladistics, so crocodilians and dinosaurs tend to get mentioned together a lot. --- Originally Posted By: Actaeon A minor technicality. Minor? Really? If non-avian theropods aren't the ancestors for birds, then what is the ancestor of birds? Are you arguing that birds gave rise to dinosaurs or that birds and dinosaurs are entirely separate and not closely related? What do you do with extremely birdlike theropods like Velociraptor? Are they birds but not dinosaurs? Dinosaurs but not birds? How do you explain the similarities between birds and theropod dinosaurs? What characters are you going to use to demonstrate relatedness when you create your new clades and what evidence do you have to back them up? What makes them better supported than the characteristics of the accepted birds-are-dinosaurs clade? It would turn almost everything we think we know about reptiles in the Mesozoic upside-down. That's hardly minor. But don't take Dikiyoba's word for it. Take a paleontologist's word for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Well-Actually War Trall Actaeon Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 I actually don't agree with the argument put forth in the article. The prevailing explanation seems, to me, to be well supported. It is not, however, absolute fact. Very little is when it comes to paleontology, or science in general. I am wary of our tendency to take it for granted that anything less throughly supported than gravity is worth telling only one side of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast Dantius Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 You are all missing the obvious explanation. ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrulous Glaahk Painted Lady Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Randomizer - that was hysterical. I actually had to program in COBOL once..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnificent Ornk Dikiyoba Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Originally Posted By: Actaeon The prevailing explanation seems, to me, to be well supported. Except it's not the prevailing opinion and it doesn't have much evidence to support it. (Seriously. Show me some evidence that birds evolved separately from dinosaurs. Actual evidence, not misdirection or speculation.) There are basically two paleontologists (Feduccia and Ruben) generating the "controversy" by doing shoddy research and then running to the press with their results. Most vertebrate paleontologists agree that the evidence supports the theory that birds are descendents of maniraptoran theropods. Here's another article that includes a list of features that maniraptors and birds share but that are not typical of other non-avian dinosaurs. Dikiyoba won't be around for a few days but will return to this thread on Monday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Well-Actually War Trall Actaeon Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 ... I'm confused. I was under the impression that we were on the same side of this issue. I fear that I have talked myself into trying to defend an assertion I don't agree with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnificent Ornk nikki. Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Originally Posted By: Actaeon ... I'm confused. I was under the impression that we were on the same side of this issue. Now *I'm* confused. I thought you were saying we shouldn't readily believe dinosaurs became birds? And I thought our resident dinosaur expert gave us the current consensus reached by paleontologists (which is to say birds are totally dinosaurs, yo)? Well. Before your last edit it wasnt clear you disagreed with the argument you were defending. Now it's less confusing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Well-Actually War Trall Actaeon Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Originally Posted By: Actaeon I actually don't agree with the argument put forth in the article. I really should have been smarter than to go up against Dikiyoba on a dinosaur issue. Or, if I was going to bring up the dissent in an effort to add color to the discussion, I should have opened with the point Dikiyoba made- that the prevailing theory remains by far the best supported. If you read my previous posts in that light, perhaps you'll see what I was going for. I am working on improving the clarity of my discourse. It's not the first time something like this has happened. Sorry, all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unflappable Drayk adc. Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 You do NOT remember what did just happened?! --------- -Once a upon a time, there were 4 dinosaurs named: DinOpera, Godzilla Firefox, Stegoogle Chrome and old Ichtornet Explorer. Suddenly, the evil mouse cursor thinggy, opened the Secret Program file meteor and deleted all their .dll(s). Then the evil mouse cursor thinggy opened them, they all crashed because they were missing the .dll(s). From that time, humans in the name of Jeff Vogel, decided to place Shaperism in every persons mind to change the pre-history and turn it into fyoras instead of 4 dinosaurs. Eventually, a few were just interested from that act. And that happens until now, but, today, it is either Avernuism/Avadonism... ------------ -And that day forward, a bunch of animals, in one place is called a zoo. Unless it's a farm., Nightwatcher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Understated Ur-Drakon Tyranicus Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Originally Posted By: Nightwatcher And that day forward, a bunch of animals, in one place is called a zoo. Unless it's a farm. Or, you know, nature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnificent Ornk nikki. Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Or a butcher's shop. Really, we could go all day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast keira Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 There is one specific species of animal that is very prevalent. You can find it just about anywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Alorael at Large Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Let me interpret: Actaeon posted suggesting there's a not entirely incredible but minority opinion that rather than avians being a clade of dinosaurs, the arrangement of phylogenetic branches is a bit different, more flightless dinosaurs evolved from bird-like ancestors, and... I don't really understand the article that well. Yes, the ancestors of dinosaurs were to some extent birdlike given that their descendants are birdlike. —Alorael, who went to nature to pick up a few steaks. Some disassembly was required, though, so he gave up and ate fruit instead. The packaging's much better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyshakk Koan Mod. Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Crocodiles won the war with dinosaurs. We're next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast keira Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 I beg to differ. We've got the best of the best on our side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyshakk Koan Lauren CW Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Never thought a topic about Dinosaurs would make me laugh so hard. Feel like a total badass because Dinosaurs are awesome therefor talking about them makes you awesome, yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ineffable Wingbolt Erebus the Black Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Originally Posted By: Future Wonderbolt There is one specific species of animal that is very prevalent. You can find it just about anywhere. Mites? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast keira Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Close. It's an invasive species that originated in Africa. It's known for its tendency to build large geometric hives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgeoning Battle Gamma Cpt. Charles Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Ants? Bees? Termites? Humans? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnificent Ornk Aran Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Originally Posted By: Admiral Alex Ants? Bees? Termites? Humans? Got it in four! Originally Posted By: Dikiyoba "Hey, I'm awesome. Also a dinosaur. Get over it." Dikiyoba hasn't been paying enough attention to dinosaurs to know the latest details, but that's the general gist of it. Sure that no non-avian species remains? The elusive Dikiyora scribens comes to mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Well-Actually War Trall Cairo Jim Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Originally Posted By: Admiral Alex Bees? Humans? I was thinking bees myself, but then I thought bees don't seem that invasive do they? Also, the humans thing made me laugh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Well-Actually War Trall Rowen Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Understated Ur-Drakon Tyranicus Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 Originally Posted By: Sylae Back in my day the history channel was about Hitler, not driving on ice and crabbing. FYT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Well-Actually War Trall Actaeon Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 Thankfully, Hitler IS history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnificent Ornk nikki. Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 Originally Posted By: Rowen down the river snip Nicholas Cage, is that you? (aww man, now I'm reminded of AtCT. we didn't make that joke enough) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgeoning Battle Gamma Cpt. Charles Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 Humans are the only ones that have invaded the eighth continent. The internet. (A country in that continent, Facebook, rivals other lands with its huge population of over 800,000,000 members. The small country of Spiderweb Software Forums grows steadily larger, however, and currently holds only some 600 shy of 10,000 members!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnificent Ornk Dikiyoba Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 Originally Posted By: Cairo Jim I was thinking bees myself, but then I thought bees don't seem that invasive do they? Killer bees! (Plus, regular European honey bees are a bit invasive where they've been introduced because they compete with the native bees.) Dikiyoba. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Well-Actually War Trall Cairo Jim Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 I knew that they can occasionally be a small problem. I've just never heard them being an invasion problem. Or anything more than an allergy problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Mea Tulpa Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 "Was it an African honey bee?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnificent Ornk Dikiyoba Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Originally Posted By: Actaeon Or, if I was going to bring up the dissent in an effort to add color to the discussion, I should have opened with the point Dikiyoba made- that the prevailing theory remains by far the best supported. If you read my previous posts in that light, perhaps you'll see what I was going for. I am working on improving the clarity of my discourse. No problem. Although if "birds might not be dinosaurs" is the most colorful thing you can think of, something has gone wrong somewhere. Probably some combination of paleontologists not explaining their discoveries well, the media giving most of their attentions to the most dramatic discoveries (which gives crackpots and bad science undue credence, since those tend towards the dramatic), and laypeople more interested in the myth of dinosaurs as badasses rather than as they actually were (Jurassic Park/XKCD raptors vs small, feathered raptors, although Jurassic Park did an okay job with the science of its day). And if you want overly literal color, have an Anchiornis, since we know what color and pattern of at least some of the population was. If you want only metaphorical color, have more Naish on freaky sauropod front feet. (It blew Dikiyoba's mind, at least.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Well-Actually War Trall Actaeon Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Originally Posted By: Dikiyoba ...although Jurassic Park did an okay job with the science of its day). Even so, they might have clarified that they were talking about something like a Utahraptor or Dieinonychus. Eschewing the feathers was understandable, but it doesn't take much scientific research to infer the size of a Velociraptor when you have a fossilized specimen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Well-Actually War Trall Rowen Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 I spent a few hours reading things from dinosaurs, to prehistoric sea creatures, to the Permian–Triassic extinction event, to the Siberian Traps, to the Wilkes Land carter, to the Bedout crater, and rounded it off with a visit to Philosophy. I must say, I enjoyed the geology reading more then any of the other bits. I find fossils to be cool, but rocks just rock my world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast Trenton. Posted August 1, 2012 Author Share Posted August 1, 2012 EDIT: Sorry, picture fail. Hold on while I try to tinypic it... EDIT EDIT:Bahh x.x My computer is a fail. Forget this post happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ineffable Wingbolt Erebus the Black Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Originally Posted By: Dikiyoba If you want only metaphorical color, have more Naish on freaky sauropod front feet. (It blew Dikiyoba's mind, at least.) Why do you find them weird? in nature as in nature, anything can form if it can perform its rudimentary function Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Well-Actually War Trall Rowen Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 I didn't see mention of Dinotopia in this thread. How can we talk about Dinosaurs with out talking about Dinotopia? That's were I learned most of my dino knowledge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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