If the giant asteroid didn't strike Earth, would the big dinos still be here (T.Rex, brachio/brontosaurus, etc.?

Yes. That's how evolution works: top of the food chain will remain there unless extraneous events disrupt their homeostasis.

Since that was ~65 million years ago, it's not likely those species would still be around. Most likely, though mammals would not have gotten the chance to have the run of the planet, so reptilian species would most likely still be the big boss.

There's a documentary about it on the Cartoon Channel set in the town of Bedrock.

I major in science. wrote:

Yes. That's how evolution works: top of the food chain will remain there unless extraneous events disrupt their homeostasis.

Except of course that there is no such thing as homeostasis in regards to ecological systems.

But thanks for playing.

No, animals that size would not survive today. There was a lot more oxygen in the atmosphere back then. That was how such large animals were able to evolve.

No chance. Haven't you even been watching the NBA recently?

5951320789 wrote:

No, animals that size would not survive today. There was a lot more oxygen in the atmosphere back then. That was how such large animals were able to evolve.

Nope. The newest evidence suggest that oxygen levels were much lower and carbon dioxide levels were higher.

Pencil dick wrote:

Nope. The newest evidence suggest that oxygen levels were much lower and carbon dioxide levels were higher.

No. U R Wrong.

During the great dying, aka the Permian-Triassic extinction event, yes. But not at the time of the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event ~65 million years ago that finally killed off the big dinos.

Ha ha!

Did they delete the thread on the soft tissue found on dinosaur thread? Mods can't take a little evolution discussion, huh? Too controversial for them.

Well Now wrote:

I major in science. wrote:

Yes. That's how evolution works: top of the food chain will remain there unless extraneous events disrupt their homeostasis.

Except of course that there is no such thing as homeostasis in regards to ecological systems.

But thanks for playing.

I was about to say this. Glad someone else noted that.

5951320789 wrote:

No, animals that size would not survive today. There was a lot more oxygen in the atmosphere back then. That was how such large animals were able to evolve.

You are confusing periods. Abnormally high oxygen levels happened during the Carboniferous and Permian periods. That is when there were abnormally large insects.

By the Jurassic period, oxygen levels had fallen to current levels or lower. Yet Dinosaurs still thrived.

Insects absorb oxygen differently than do reptiles which is why their size is limited by the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere.

09d9a; wrote:

Ha ha!

Did they delete the thread on the soft tissue found on dinosaur thread? Mods can't take a little evolution discussion, huh? Too controversial for them.

No - Too stupid. So stupid, it hurts...

Mungo Man wrote:

You are confusing periods. Abnormally high oxygen levels happened during the Carboniferous and Permian periods. That is when there were abnormally large insects.

By the Jurassic period, oxygen levels had fallen to current levels or lower. Yet Dinosaurs still thrived.

Insects absorb oxygen differently than do reptiles which is why their size is limited by the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere.

It should probably be added that dinosaurs are not reptiles.

Just thought you should know.

Mungo Man wrote:

Insects absorb oxygen differently than do reptiles which is why their size is limited by the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere.

I was down in Florida last week and saw some freaking HUGE bugs. Scary as Hades. No thanks! Bring down the O2 and increase the CO2, please!!!!

09d9a; wrote:

Ha ha!

Did they delete the thread on the soft tissue found on dinosaur thread? Mods can't take a little evolution discussion, huh? Too controversial for them.

Their steeplechase times were embarrassing.

Pencil dick wrote:

5951320789 wrote:

No, animals that size would not survive today. There was a lot more oxygen in the atmosphere back then. That was how such large animals were able to evolve.

Nope. The newest evidence suggest that oxygen levels were much lower and carbon dioxide levels were higher.

The CO2 levels went up because the raptors became intelligent and built a big civilization. That's also what killed off most of the other dinosaurs.

The big asteroid was part of a war between various raptor empires.

Bad Wigins wrote:

Pencil dick wrote:

Nope. The newest evidence suggest that oxygen levels were much lower and carbon dioxide levels were higher.

The CO2 levels went up because the raptors became intelligent and built a big civilization. That's also what killed off most of the other dinosaurs.

The big asteroid was part of a war between various raptor empires.

This ^. Humans were created as part of a raptor science experiment, and some went to hide in caves while the raptors killed one another in the great war. Eventually all the male raptors died in battle, leaving the others to die as well, and humans took over from there.

The smaller ones might still be around, but the larger species would most likely have died out. Most of the mega-fauna from previous eras has died out. Giant sharks, and massive land-dwelling organisms are generally a thing of the past. The environment just doesn't support them any more.

I doubt if any of the large dinosaurs could have survived the glacial periods. Glaciers came down as far as Ohio. Winters were probably brutal even in the tropics.