Key Takeaways:
- 1. New argon dating in New Mexico suggests the ecosystem there was contemporary with Hell Creek before the mass extinction.
- 2. Fossils in New Mexico reveal distinct ecosystems from Wyoming, indicating temperature differences drove ecological diversity.
- 3. Dinosaurs were thriving in New Mexico until the end of the Cretaceous, challenging the idea of limited diversity leading to extinction.
New dating of dinosaur fossils in New Mexico shows the ecosystem was similar to Hell Creek just before the mass extinction, with distinct ecosystems driven by temperature differences. The findings challenge the notion of limited diversity as a factor in dinosaur extinction, suggesting they were thriving until the end of the Cretaceous period.
Insight: The research highlights the importance of understanding dinosaur diversity and ecosystems leading up to their extinction, while acknowledging the need for further study beyond North America to gain a comprehensive picture.
This article was curated by memoment.jp from the feed source: Ars Technica.
Read the original article here: https://arstechnica.com/science/2025/10/dinosaurs-may-have-flourished-right-up-to-when-the-asteroid-hit/
© All rights belong to the original publisher.
