Arctic Dinosaurs Research Paper

While a theropod “beast-footed” carnivore includes the T. Rex, the ones that likely roamed Wrangel-St.Elias National Park were considerably smaller. The researchers found evidence of a single theropod that was likely a tiny 9 cm long and 7 cm wide due to an impression of the sinusoidal shape. Several ornithopod, medium and large plant-eating dinosaurs, was identified by blunt and rounded digit impressions which are usually 22 cm long and 26 wide. It was the first evidence that dinosaurs roamed this vast region.

The reading passage proposes three theories which support the idea that a dinosaur which is called edmontosaurus survived in the winter by migrating to the south, the more hospitable region than the extremely cold in the North Slope. However, the professor in the listening respectively contradicts each theory in the reading passage by using strong evidence as support.

At first, the reading passage posits that the diet for these dinosaurs proves that they had to migrate to find plants. Conversely, the professor refutes this point by imparting that this ratiocination is invalid on the ground that there was in some period a warm climate in this area. According to the professor, the 24 hours sunshine eventuated in warm weather and extensive daylight would provide a desirable environment

The reading and the lecture are both theories of why dinasours were endotherms or cold blooded aninmals. Whereas as the author of the reading states that there is not enough evidence to assume that dinosaurs were endotherms. The lecture casts doubt on the main points made in the reading by providing three reasons.

Dinosaurs ruled the earth for over 65 million years and thankfully for the human race, they became extinct. Ultimately, only a major catastrophe could completely wipe out an entire species, let alone an entity of dinosaurs and the debacle on the causes of dinosaur extinction have flooded the minds of paleontologists for centuries. Geologist and zoologist Stephen Jay Gould published “Sex, Drugs, Disasters, and the Extinction of Dinosaurs,” to compare scientific and speculative causes of dinosaur decimation. Personally, I found this passage very informational and enjoyed reading it. Gould provides three theories that capture the reader’s curiosity, allowing room for pondering in one’s mind.

First, the author notes that since modern reptiles are cold-blood and have very low metabolism, ancient reptiles such Pterosaurs could not provide enough energy for powered flight due to their low body metabolism. The professor refutes this statement by referring to the fact that fossil remaining of Pterosaurs proved that, similar to warm-blood animals like birds, these animals had

Every so often a discovery is made that attempts to shake up pre-conceived notions of how the dinosaurs actually lived or how they came to be. On June 22, 2000, in Oregon, scientists announced the discovery of the oldest known animal to have feathers. Though no records indicate how the age of the animal was determined, the

The spark that ignited the Great Peloponnesian War was a civil war at Epidamnus, between Corcyra and Corinth. The Corcyraeans had a fleet that was second in size to that of Athens, and the Athenians feared that its capture by Corinth would threaten the Athenian Empire. As a result, the Athenians made an alliance with Corcyra that angered the Corinthians. In the summer of 432 B.C.E., the Spartans met to consider their allies grievances. The Spartans were persuaded that the Athenians had an insatiably aggressive power seeking to enslave all Greeks, which resulted in their declaration of war. The Athenians refused to yield to threats or commands, but the Spartans refused to arbitrate and could not reach any settlement with the Athenians.

“Sex, Drugs, Disasters, and the Extinction of Dinosaurs” is written by Stephen Jay Gould, professor of geology and zoology at Harvard. This essay is one of more than a hundred articles on evolution, zoology, and paleontology published by Gould in national magazines and journals. It tells about scientific proposals for the extinction of dinosaurs – a confusing but an exciting problem that humanity tries to solve. By analyzing and describing each of the claims for the reptiles’ demise – sex, drugs, and disasters – Gould differentiates bad science from good science and explains what makes some theories silly speculations, while the other, a testable hypothesis.

These techniques led to the discovery of the boundary between the two eras. A single thin layer of clay found within predominantly limestone rocks established this. By comparing the marine life found in, above, and below the clay, the marine life, like the dinosaurs, had been terribly affected by the extinction event. The percentage of life in the upper layers was dramatically lower than that in the lower. This was far more compelling than what was suggested by dinosaur’s fossils.

            Dinosaurs were first believed to be cold-blooded because they were thought to be related closely to reptiles which are cold-blooded creatures.  Cold-blooded animals don’t actually have “cold” blood, instead they rely on the temperature from their environment to regulate their own body temperature.  They do this by taking advantage of external heat by basking in the sun, and by lying

The author believes that dinosaurs were endotherms, but the lecturer has a completely different idea. Here are some differences:

This researcher proposes that the dinosaurs did not die of heat, in fact she thinks the opposite, that they froze to death instead. Both articles have the same idea about a meteorite hitting the earth yet there is no concrete evidence as to what caused the meteorite to strike and what it did when it got here.

Dinosaur extinction: An analysis of events and theories that possibly led to the dinosaurs' demise.

Rapid climate change also ends up on the suspect list of possible dinosaur extinction events. During the latter part of the Cretaceous Period continents broke up causing volcanoes to erupt and fill the sky with gas and ash resulting in a drastic climate change (“Dinosaurs Climate Change and Biodiversity”). The shifting of continents changed the Earth’s landscape, altering weather patterns and overall climate (“Dinosaur Extinction Theories”). Also, over a long period of time, climate gradually changed. Ocean habits changed, temperatures grew much more extreme causing scorching summers and frigid winters (Norell, Dingus, and Gaffney). Radical temperature changes like these led to a green-house effect, making life for the dinosaurs a lot