For kids, students, and adults alike, this page includes dinosaur facts. Get ready for a thorough explanation of dinosaurs and Mesozoic life below …
Dinosaur Facts for Kids, Students & Adults
The Dino Facts page has been established as an active wild Dino. When dinosaurs lived, how long they survived, and why they went extinct are all topics that you can learn about. There are a lot of additional details about the planet’s environment during the “Age of Reptiles,” which will give you insight.
Dinosaur Facts for Kids, Students & Adults
- What Does ‘Dinosaur’ Mean?
- What Is A Dinosaur?
- Dinosaur Characteristics
- Types of Dinosaur
- How Did Dinosaurs Evolve?
- When Did Dinosaurs Live?
- Dinosaur Extinction
- Birds Descended From Dinosaurs: Are Dinosaurs Really Extinct?
- Where Did Dinosaurs Live?
- How We Know About Dinosaurs: Fossils & Paleantology
- Top Ten Dinosaur Facts For Kids
Dinosaurs: The Ultimate Guide, From Egg to Extinction
What Does ‘Dinosaur’ Mean?
Sir Richard Owen, an English biologist, came up with the term “dinosaur.” When he needed a term for a new group of creatures he had just discovered, he coined the word “Dinosauria” in 1842.
Sir Richard Owen: Dinosaur Expert and inventor of the word ‘Dinosaur’.
The term Deinos sauros is formed by combining two Greek words: deinos, which means “terrible,” and sauros, which means “lizard.” As a consequence, the term “dinosaur” has been associated with a terrifying lizard.
Despite the fact that dinosaurs aren’t lizards, it is an extremely appropriate name for them.
What Is A Dinosaur?
Dinosaurs are still alive today, but we refer to them as birds rather than reptiles. Further down the page, you’ll learn more about this.
As a result, we use the term “dinosaurs” on this page to refer to non-avian dinosaurs. dinosaurs that didn’t develop into birds are included in this group.
Animals change over time, which is known as evolution. A bird didn’t sprout from a T Rex egg in an instant; it takes time. With millions of tiny changes occurring over these vast timespans, evolution can take thousands, if not millions, of years.
What Makes a Dinosaur a Dinosaur? Dinosaur Characteristics
Dinosaurs were a wide range of creatures, from tiny to gigantic. This is a Spinosaurus, which was most likely a specialist fish eater.
The dinosaurs were a diverse collection of creatures. Despite all of these differences, there were certain features that all dinosaurs shared. Some ate grazers, others ate predators, some lived in herds, and others had horns or armor.
From the early Triassic through the end of the Cretaceous epoch, dinosaurs existed between 250 and 65 million years ago.
Land-dwelling dinosaurs (the majority) could not fly.
(Pterosaurs were not actual dinosaurs, as is well known.) (Swimming dinosaurs like Mosasaurs were also excluded.)
Reptiles, not dinosaurs as we know them now, were the dominant reptiles. Reptiles have minimal or no internal thermoregulatory control, which is true of practically all of today’s reptiles. Some dinosaurs were endothermic, or ‘warm-blooded,’ according to evidence, and they are ectothermic, or ‘cold-blooded.
The legs of dinosaurs were stiff and extended from the body, much like humans. Early reptiles and crocodiles had legs that protruded outwards and had bent at the knees, making them distinguishable from dinosaurs.
From the chicken-sized compsognathus (and some smaller species recently discovered) to the massive sauropods (including Titanosaurs, the biggest known beast), dinosaurs varied in size.
Some dinosaurs, such as the iguanadon, were capable of walking on both two and four legs. Other dinosaurs walked on two or four legs.
Characteristics Of Dinosaurs: Summary
- Reptilian
- Straight legs projecting downwards from body.
- Lived on land.
- (Most) could not fly.
- Lived from the early Triassic period to the end of the Cretaceous period.
Types Of Dinosaur
Dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus Rex, Stegosaurus, and Allosaurus have all been heard of. One of the two major groups of dinosaurs, Ornithischia and Saurischia, each of these, as well as all other famous dinosaurs, belonged to.
British paleontologist Harry Seeley was the first to distinguish between the two types of dinosaurs.
1. Ornithischia
The name ‘Ornithischia’ comes from the Greek for ‘bird-hipped’. The hip bones of these dinosaurs are similar to those of present-day birds.
Birds are actually descended from the Saurischians, not the Ornithischians, as you might think.
Herbivorous (plant-eating) dinosaurs were known as ornithischians. Little and bipedal (walking on two legs) early Ornithischians The ornithischians, on the other hand, became more diverse than the saurischians as they developed. The majority of ornithischians walked on four legs.
Armour dinosaurs like ankylosaurus and stegosaurus, ornithopods like Iguanodon, and ceratopsians like triceratops are some examples of ornithischians.
2. Saurischia
The hip bones of saurischian dinosaurs resemble those of lizards, hence the name.
All of the well-known meat-eating dinosaurs from films such as Jurassic Park are part of this group of dinosaurs. These are the two-legged, long-tailed, short-armed, and big-jawed theropods, or dinosaurs that walked! Allosaurus, Oviraptor, and Tyrannosaurus are some of theropod species.
The only dinosaurs that survived the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, which occurred some 66 million years ago, were those who evolved into birds.
Sauropods were the other major saurischian dinosaur group. With small heads, long necks, and four robust legs to support their massive bulk, these were enormous herbivorous dinosaurs. Apatosaurus, Diplodocus, and Brontosaurus are some of the most well-known sauropods.
How Did Dinosaurs Evolve?
350 million years ago, during the Carboniferous era, reptiles evolved from four-legged amphibians. The acquisition of legs, lungs, and hard-shelled eggs marked the transition from amphibian to early reptile.
Early reptiles were no longer constrained to the water; they could roam and reproduce on land as a result of all this.
The early reptiles developed into numerous branches. Some, such as snakes, lizards, and turtles, would go on to become the reptiles we know today. Mammalian creatures would emerge from others. Other branches, such as plesiosaurs, would perish in the subsequent extinction processes that would decimate the planet.
The archosaurs were a group of early reptiles. ‘Ruling reptiles,’ according to the term archosaurs.
The Erythrosuchus, a meat-eating early reptile that was around 5 meters (16 feet) long, is an example of an archosaur.
The two principal branches of archosaurs emerged. Early crocodilians, or crocodile and alligator ancestors, were one of them.
Avemetatarsalians were the second most common archosaur. Dinosaurs (and pterosaurs, the flying reptiles) would emerge from this branch.
When Did Dinosaurs Live?
The Mesozoic Era, also known as the “Age of Reptiles,” was when dinosaurs lived. Around 252 million and 66 million years ago, the Mesozoic Period started and ended, respectively. The Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods are the three smaller divisions of the period.
During the Triassic era, the first dinosaurs emerged around 231 million to 243 million years ago. They were tiny, with two legs and the ability to walk.
A global extinction event happened around the year 201.3 million years ago. The Triassic era came to an end, and the Jurassic era began.
Over half of the species we know existed at the time were exterminated by the Triassic–Jurassic extinction event, as it is now known. The environment was also perfect for dinosaurs to conquer the planet!
During the Triassic-Jurassic extinction event, dinosaurs became the dominant land vertebrates (animals with backbones). During the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, they remained so.
The Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, which occurred approximately 66 million years ago, brought their reign to an end. As a result, all non-avian dinosaurs vanished from the earth.
Are Dinosaurs Extinct?
Dinosaurs are technically still alive today, although they are now referred to as ‘birds,’ but the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event effectively put an end to their reign. Dinosaurs ruled the Earth for around 170 million years.
Only 200,000 years have passed since the birth of Homo sapiens (modern humans). There is still a long way to go!
Birds Descended From Dinosaurs
All current birds are thought to be descended from therapods, which were Saurischian dinosaurs (see above). Feathers are thought to have been present in several therapods, including Tyrannosaurus Rex.
A group known as Coelurosauria, which derives from the Greek word “hollow-tailed lizards,” split off from the most bird-like of the therapods.
Although T. Rex was a Coelurosaurian, maniraptorans would eventually produce all of the birds in today’s world, despite their outward appearance.
Birds were the only dinosaurs to survive the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, and they first emerged in the Jurassic period.
Where Did Dinosaurs Live?
Although the globe did not resemble this during the Mesozoic Era, dinosaurs have been discovered on every continent!
Every continent has yielded dinosaur bones. Both plant-eating and meat-eating dinosaurs have been discovered in Antarctica, according to scientists.
Dinosaurs, on the other hand, couldn’t have survived in Antarctica. There was just one enormous supercontinent called Pangaea, which means “all Earth,” during the Triassic epoch, when dinosaurs first emerged.
The Triassic period was characterized by arid, warm weather. The huge landmass could support dinosaurs that traveled far and wide. As a result, similar kinds of dinosaurs can be found in various regions of the globe today.
Oceans flooded into the spaces between continents as they drifted apart. The world’s land was no longer open to dinosaurs, who could roam freely. The temperature started to drop (though it was still warm), and there was more rain.
In the Jurassic period, Pangaea began to split into two main landmasses
called Laurasia and Gondwana.
Landmasses continued to slowly split into continents throughout the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, as they do now.
Dinosaur Facts for Kids, Students & Adults: Extinction
Dinosaurs were extremely successful animals, but eventually the ‘Age of Reptiles’ came to an end.
The Cretaceous–Paleogene (K-Pg) extinction event has been explained in a variety of ways. Massive worldwide volcanic eruptions and alterations in global temperatures are two theories.
Some people even think that another star – called Nemesis – approaches the Sun every 26 million years, causing asteroids to smash into Earth.
Meteorite Theory
Could a meteorite strike have wiped out the dinosaurs?
Between rocks formed during the Cretaceous and Paleogene periods, geologists have identified a narrow band of sedimentary rock. The Cretaceous–Paleocene, or K–Pg boundary, is the name given to this group.
A high concentration of an uncommon metal called iridium is found inside this rock. Asteroids and comets contain iridium, which is mostly found in the Earth’s core.
This led to one of the most likely scenarios for the K-Pg extinction catastrophe: a meteorite approximately 6 miles (10 kilometers) in size collided with Earth.
The explosion would have been about 2 million times bigger than a nuclear bomb.
The explosion would have generated a massive gas cloud that would have covered the planet for years. Temperatures would have plummeted dramatically. Plants would have been unable to flourish, and entire food chains would have disappeared.
The meteorite theory is supported by the discovery of the Chicxulub crater in Mexico. This huge impact crater appears to have been created around the time of the K-Pg extinction event.
How We Know About Dinosaurs
Paleontology
Dinosaur facts for kids: Paleontology is the study of ancient life.
Scientists who study ancient life are known as paleontologists (palaeontologists in British English). They study fossil remains, using knowledge from other scientific fields such as biology, chemistry and geology to create a picture of how the world used to look.
Fossils
Much of what we know about dinosaurs is pieced together from fossils.
The majority of our knowledge of dinosaurs comes from fossils. Fossils are the remains and traces of living creatures that have been turned into stone.
Fossils were discovered long before mankind realized what they were. The presence of dragons and other monsters may have resulted in mythology and legend about them.
It wasn’t until the nineteenth century that serious fossil study began.
Many methods can be used to create fossils. When buried remnants of an animal are replaced by minerals, producing a stone fossil, one type of fossil is produced.
When the original remnants disappear fully, leaving only an outline of the remnants, a fossil is created in another manner. A mould fossil is what this is called.
Not all fossils are of animal species, however. Dinosaur fossils, such as footprint and poop droppings, may be preserved.
From fossils, scientists can extract a surprising amount of information. They may also tell you how a dinosaur lived and what it ate, in addition to informing you what it looked like. They can tell how old the fossil is based on the rock where it was discovered.
Top Ten Dinosaur Facts
- Paleontology (in British English, palaeontology) is the scientific study of ancient life. As a result, you’re a paleontologist if you study dinosaurs!
- Fossils, or the remnants or traces of living creatures that have been fossilized as rocks, are all we have about dinosaurs.
- The term “dinosaur” refers to a terrifying lizard. Sir Richard Owen, a British biologist, devised the theory.
- The Mesozoic Period, which spanned roughly 252 million to 66 million years ago, was dominated by dinosaurs.
- During the Mesozoic Era’s Triassic and Cretaceous periods, dinosaurs were the dominant land vertebrates.
- Birds are now considered to be dinosaurs by the majority of scientists.
- Non-avian dinosaurs, for example The Cretaceous–Paleogene (K-Pg) extinction event, which took place around 66 million years ago, wiped out dinosaurs that weren’t birds.
- There were dinosaurs on Earth for almost 170 million years. Modern humans, on the other hand, have only been around for 200,000 years.
- Even the fearsome T Rex may have had feathers.
- Every continent has yielded dinosaur fossils.
Dinosaur Facts For Kids, Students and Adults: Conclusion
Try to picture what life was actually like throughout the Jurassic and Cretaceous epochs now that you have completed the article. Imagine how these massive reptiles might have moved, ate, hunted, and fought in your imagination.
With gloomy skies, flora dying, and the final of the non-avian dinosaurs wandering aimlessly around for nourishment, imagine the consequences of the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction catastrophe.
Consider how fossils are the source of everything we know about dinosaurs! From geology to zoology, we can learn a lot about a person by using many different branches of science.
We believe you have gained a lot of knowledge about dinosaurs.