What If the Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Had Missed Earth?

What if series: Part 1 

What If the Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Had Missed Earth? 

• A large asteroid impact in what is now the Yucatan Peninsula created the Chicxulub crater and triggered the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) extinction event, which changed life on Earth 66 million years ago. 

• This impact resulted in the extinction of around 75% of Earth's species, including non-avian dinosaurs, clearing the way for the advent of mammals and, eventually, humans. But what if the asteroid missed Earth? Let's look into this fascinating parallel past.

The Immediate Aftermath: Dinosaurs Thriving :

• If the asteroid had missed, the dinosaurs would have maintained their dominion. Dinosaurs were extremely diversified during the end of the Cretaceous epoch, living on every continent and filling a variety of ecological niches. Dinosaurs, from the huge, long-necked sauropods to the deadly Tyrannosaurus rex, were the pinnacle of their period. Without the asteroid collision, these species would have continued to flourish and evolve.

Evolutionary paths are altered :

1. Dinosaurs' Evolution 

• If there had been no extinction event, dinosaurs could have expanded their range. Scientists believe that some dinosaur groups were already exhibiting advanced social behaviors, complicated hunting methods, and primitive kinds of communication. 

• These habits may have evolved over millions of years. It's possible that some dinosaur species had higher intellect and complex social systems, similar to the evolutionary pathways of birds and mammals in our era.

2. Mammals stagnating 

• Mammals, on the other hand, were small and primarily nocturnal during the dinosaur age. The extinction catastrophe enabled them to seek new niches, resulting in an explosion of diversity and the emergence of larger animal species. 

• Without the asteroid, mammals would have stayed in the shadow of dinosaurs, constrained to specific ecological niches, and their evolution would have been considerably retarded. Diversification into larger, more dominant forms could have taken tens of millions of years, if it occurred at all.

The Changes in Flora and Fauna :

• The K-Pg extinction event had a significant influence on plant life. Following the extinction of the dinosaurs, flowering plants (angiosperms) spread, changing the structure of ecosystems all across the world.

• In a world without the asteroid impact, the rivalry between conifers, ferns, and flowering plants could have turned out differently. Dinosaurs, with their herbivorous habits, would have continued to change the vegetation, possibly resulting in distinct dominating plant species.

Climate and Geological impact :

• The asteroid impact triggered severe climatic changes, including a "nuclear winter" effect in which temperatures dropped dramatically due to dust and aerosols blocking sunlight. This event also led to long-term climatic changes and sea level rises. 

• Without this collision, the Earth's climate would have taken a different path. The late Cretaceous was already a warm age, and it's plausible that the planet would have been warmer for longer, altering the types of animals that could survive.

The Evolution of Birds :

• Birds are direct descendants of theropod dinosaurs. Prior to the asteroid collision, some small, feathered dinosaurs had already evolved into what we now call birds. Without the extinction event, these proto-birds would have evolved alongside their larger dinosaur counterparts. 

• It is probable that birds would have faced more competition from other tiny dinosaurs, altering their evolutionary path. However, given their versatility and flight abilities, birds may have found methods to thrive, albeit in altered shapes.