© SPL; Thinkstock; DK Images; Getty; Corbis; University of BristolThe colossal Chicxulub crater in the
Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico, since its
discovery in the Seventies, has
heavily hinted as to how 75 per cent
of all life on Earth was eradicated
around 65.5 million years ago. The
crater indicates that a space rock –
probably an asteroid – at least ten kilometres (six miles)
across impacted Earth. As a result of the extensive
damage caused directly by the collision and consequently
by tsunamis, dust storms and volcanism, it caused a total
collapse in the world’s ecosystems, with all non-avian
dinosaurs at the top of the death list. Despite being
challenged repeatedly, the impact’s link to the K-Pg mass
extinction has recently been reaffi rmed with even more
detail, with a research team linking the two events in
time to within 11,000 years. That said, the researchers
also highlighted that various precursory phenomena,
such as dramatic climate swings, also contributed to the
end of the dinosaurs post-impact.Yucatán impact
Zalmoxes
sized up
Zalmoxes, a genus of
herbivorous dinosaur
from the Late
Cretaceous period, is believed by
some to be one of the earliest
examples of insular dwarfi sm – a
condition whereby a species
undergoes a continuous reduction in
size to better suit its environment,
shrinking over several generations.
Fossils from at least two species of
Zalmoxes have been found in
central Europe and one of its closest
ancestors is thought to be the much
larger Iguanodon.X-ray scanners have become incredibly useful
and important tools in the world of
palaeontology as they can reveal many fossils
and features that otherwise would remain
hidden. For example, in November 2013,
researchers in Germany used an X-ray machine
to unveil the detailed structure of a fossil
trapped within a plaster cast, all without everhaving to break it open and risking damage to
the specimen. What’s more, the researchers
then made use of a 3D printer to re-create the
X-ray scans in solid form, allowing
palaeontologists to pick up and handle a cast
of the fossil as fi ne and detailed as the real
thing. Modern technology is set to further our
understanding of dinosaurs by no bounds.X-raying prehistoric remains
While not technically dinosaurs,
pterosaurs were very much the winged
wonders of the dinosaur era. Flying reptiles that
evolved throughout the Late Triassic and dominated
the skies until the Late Cretaceous, pterosaurs
were the earliest vertebrates currently known
to have evolved powered fl ight. Pterosaurs are
not related to modern-day birds or bats, with
the many species evolving earlier and separately.
The genus Pterodactylus was one of the most
notable, with the species Pterodactylus antiquus one
of the most impressive, with a toothed beak, large
eyes and clawed wings. In terms of wingspan P
antiquus could extend its wings up to a metre (3.3
feet) and had a long, narrow skull packed with
dozens of sharp, pointed teeth. It used these to snap
up fi sh and smaller reptiles.Winged wonders
Beak
Up to 90 teeth in the long beak intermeshed when the
jaw was closed, and were perfect for grabbing fast prey.1
1Wings
A wingspan of around 1m (3.3ft) was typical for
Pterodactylus, with the wings structured in a way that
indicates it would have fl own like an albatross.2
2Body
Not as large as depicted in fi ction, Pterodactylus was
very lightly built with hollow bones and a long neck.33Limbs
Pterosaurs evolved a unique pteroid bone on the wrists of
their forearms, used to support the forward wing
membrane located between the wrist and shoulder.44Tail
Unlike some other pterosaurs, Pterodactylus had a
relatively short, stubby tail.55“Microraptor was a small, four-
winged dinosaur... very close to
the origin of birds. Its remains
show it had wings on its arms
and legs. It couldn’t fl y properly,
but used its wings to glide. This shows the
origin of fl ight in birds and their ancestors
was much more complex than expected”DID YOU KNOW? (^) Iguanodon’s thumb spike was originally thought to be a horn on the end of its nose