Volcano-induced die-off paved way for dinosaurs, study suggests
Thursday, March 21, 2013 - 19:30
in Paleontology & Archaeology
New findings support the theory that a massive volcanic event tore apart Pangea and dramatically changed Earth's climate, ushering in the biggest biological shift in the planet's history.More than 200 million years ago, toothy crocodile-like creatures stalked a hot, dry mega-continent while squid-like mollusks with spiral shells drifted in the surrounding ocean. Then, in what passes for an instant in geologic time, they vanished — making way for the age of the dinosaurs.