Question

The KT extinction event is well-known as the demise of the dinosaurs. But today we have about 10000 bird, 11000 non-avian reptiles, and 5000 mammal species. That means almost 50% of reptile species are dinosaurs and mammals are a distant third, which is still pretty good! In fact, birds refilled empty niches left behind by the extinction event as did mammals and other reptiles. So was the asteroid really a dinosaur killer?

Answer 1

The asteroid impact 65 million years ago, known as the KT extinction event, was a major contributor to the demise of the dinosaurs. This event caused significant global climate changes and led to the extinction of many other species as well. The impact had long-lasting effects on the evolutionary history of life on Earth.

Step-by-step explanation:

The asteroid impact that occurred about 65 million years ago, known as the KT extinction event, was indeed a major contributor to the demise of the dinosaurs. This catastrophic event caused the extinction of the majority of dinosaur species, with the exception of a group of theropods that eventually evolved into birds. The impact led to significant global climate changes, including dust ejected into the atmosphere, which had a profound impact on the Earth's ecosystems and led to the extinction of many other species as well.

While it is true that some reptile and mammal species were able to fill the ecological niches left vacant by the dinosaur extinction, the asteroid impact was still a significant factor in their disappearance. The extinction event resulted in a dramatic loss of biodiversity and had long-lasting effects on the evolutionary history of life on Earth.