How Dinosaurs Could Have Evolved If They Never Went Extinct

What If Dinosaurs Never Went Extinct?

Dinosaurs, some of the most fascinating creatures to have ever walked the earth, are often the subject of fascination and curiosity. What if they never went extinct? While it is a shame that we won't be able to have Jurassic Park to see these creatures come to life, we are living with some creatures that are just as old as dinosaurs, such as crocodiles and sharks. These ancient creatures haven't changed much since they appeared millions of years ago, but most dinosaurs didn't make it when the asteroid struck the earth.

In a way, the asteroid was a giant reset button for the planet. After hitting the earth, this space traveler wiped out almost every living thing. The sky was covered with ash, which blocked out sunlight and prevented plants from growing. This made a lot of herbivores really hungry, and as a result, they had to change their diet and adapt to the new changes. This caused some dinosaurs to take on a new path in life, turning into some modern animals we know today.

If the asteroid had changed its course just a bit, then dinosaurs would have remained the dominant species. So what would have happened if dinosaurs had stuck around? First of all, evolution would have played out differently for them. Maybe during those millions of years, humans would not have evolved to be on top of the food chain.

Imagine a world where dinosaurs still existed today. If dinosaurs had evolved as humans did, then we'd have to compete with them. There were multiple species of humans, but Homo sapiens, also known as us, prevailed. A humanoid dino or dinoid would be something strange. First of all, they would look different, more reptilian than us. Our brain sizes would differ, and they would be physically bigger and stronger. Putting a human in a dinoid side by side would be interesting. Dinoids would have scales as opposed to human skin, and their teeth would be sharper. They would probably not have five fingers on each hand, and their nails would be sharp claws. We don't know what they would sound like, but they'd possibly be guttural, like crocodiles. Dinosaurs had very good vision compared to mammals, so it's possible we'd see dinoids with large eyes.

The population of Earth has reached a staggering 8 billion people, and we've changed our environment to suit our needs. With that said, if dinoids were the dominant creatures, then the environment would be suited for them.

Speaking of physical features, scientists have predicted what dinos would look like if they had evolved into intelligent creatures that walked upright and had opposable thumbs. These wiggly thumbs are important for evolution since they helped humans start using tools for defending themselves and hunting. The creature may not look like the ideal reptile, and its appearance might not be flattering, but if dinosaurs had evolved, then these creatures could be your classmate or colleague at work.

Not all dinosaurs were alike, as their fossils have shown. Some were gigantic, while others resembled any modern-day animal. The biggest land-walking dinosaur was the titanosaur, although the measurements are only rough estimates based on fossilized bones. It's estimated that the dino was around 122 feet long and lived between 195 million years ago. It was so massive that its weight was equivalent to 18 modern-day elephants. There were dinosaurs all over the world in different time areas, climates, and landscapes. However, only a handful were known as giants. Though they excelled in body size, they lacked in brain size.

Some of the most well-known dinosaurs like the Allosaurus and Stegosaurus had very small brains, which means it would have been nearly impossible for them to.