Taming the Taming the T-rexT-rex

…And other …And other dinosaursdinosaurs

CHALLENGING EARTH HISTORY: Part IIICHALLENGING EARTH HISTORY: Part IIIThe DeathThe Death

Elaine Kennedy, Ph.D.Elaine Kennedy, Ph.D.Geoscience Research InstituteGeoscience Research Institute

http://www.grisda.orghttp://www.grisda.org

What Happened to the What Happened to the Dinosaurs?Dinosaurs?

PsittacosaurusPsittacosaurus

Demise of DinosaursDemise of Dinosaurs• Volcanism => Climate Change?Volcanism => Climate Change?

– Loss of link in food chain expected Loss of link in food chain expected but not documentedbut not documented

• Asteroid Impact?Asteroid Impact?– Most dinosaurs already dead before Most dinosaurs already dead before

K/T event K/T event

• Evolved into Birds?Evolved into Birds?– Lack of evidence & mechanismLack of evidence & mechanism

• Destroyed by Water?Destroyed by Water?– Dinosaur remains found in water-Dinosaur remains found in water-

laid deposits worldwidelaid deposits worldwide

Data: Data: T. rexT. rex• Large muscle Large muscle

attachment scars attachment scars on jaws and armson jaws and arms

• Enlarged optic & Enlarged optic & olfactory lobes, olfactory lobes, serrated teethserrated teeth

• 14 nearly 14 nearly complete complete skeletonsskeletons

• JuvenilesJuveniles

Data: Hadrosaur Data: Hadrosaur MaiasauraMaiasaura

• Self-Self-sharpening sharpening and nipping and nipping teethteeth

• JuvenilesJuveniles• EggsEggs• Nests?Nests?

Distribution of deathDistribution of death

Dinosaurs suddenly appear on four continents in the upper Triassic!

Dinosaurs go extinct in the upper Cretaceous!

Sedimentary DepositsSedimentary Deposits

• Flood deposits in CanadaFlood deposits in Canada• Lake, river, flood plain, coastal, Lake, river, flood plain, coastal,

lowland deposits in the United lowland deposits in the United StatesStates

• River deposits in South AmericaRiver deposits in South America• Debris flow deposits in MongoliaDebris flow deposits in Mongolia• Flood deposits in ChinaFlood deposits in China• Marsh, island, delta, coastal Marsh, island, delta, coastal

deposits in Europedeposits in Europe

Part III: Summary

The destruction and The destruction and preservation of dinosaurs in preservation of dinosaurs in water-laid deposits water-laid deposits worldwide has provided an worldwide has provided an extensive database for extensive database for study. study.