When Gaints Ruled: The rise and fall of Dinosaurs

Sharayu Salve
Aug 18
2 min read

Updated: Sep 8

Picture Earth 230 million years ago. No humans, no cities—just vast deserts, lush forests, and strange reptiles crawling across the land. Among them, a new lineage began to rise: the dinosaurs.

🌍 The Dawn of Dinosaurs

When Gaints Ruled: The rise and fall of Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs first appeared during the Triassic Period (~230 million years ago). At that time, all continents were clumped together in a single massive landmass called Pangaea. This gave dinosaurs an advantage: they could spread widely without being blocked by oceans.

They started small—many early dinosaurs were no bigger than a dog. But they carried traits that set them apart from other reptiles:

Upright legs (not sprawled like lizards), which made them faster and more energy-efficient.
Efficient lungs that helped them thrive in the dry Triassic climate.
Rapid growth, meaning they could adapt and evolve faster than many rivals.

By the Jurassic Period (200–145 million years ago), they had exploded into dozens of forms—from long-necked giants to swift hunters.

🧬 The Secret to Their Success

Dinosaurs weren’t all the same; their diversity made them unstoppable:

Herbivores like Brachiosaurus and Diplodocus grew to enormous sizes, towering above forests to reach treetop leaves.
Predators like Allosaurus and Velociraptor were cunning hunters with sharp claws and keen senses.
Armored dinosaurs like Stegosaurus and later Ankylosaurus developed bony plates and spikes as defense.
Horned and crested dinosaurs like Triceratops used their frills and horns for both protection and display.

Their evolutionary toolbox—speed, armor, size, intelligence, feathers—meant they could thrive in nearly every environment, from swamps to deserts.

🌋 The Reign Ends

Dinosaurs ruled Earth for nearly 160 million years. But around 66 million years ago, disaster struck.

A massive asteroid, about 10 kilometers wide, slammed into what is now Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. The impact:

Released energy equal to billions of atomic bombs.
Threw dust and ash into the atmosphere, blocking sunlight.
Collapsed food chains as plants died and herbivores starved.

This event, known as the Cretaceous–Paleogene (K-Pg) extinction, wiped out about 75% of all life on Earth—including most dinosaurs.

✨ But Did They All Die?

Here’s the plot twist: not all dinosaurs went extinct. A small group of feathered theropods managed to survive. They were small, adaptable, and could fly or glide—traits that gave them the edge when ecosystems collapsed.

Their descendants are the birds we see today. That means sparrows, parrots, and even chickens are living dinosaurs.

🌟 Why Dinosaurs Still Matter

The story of dinosaurs teaches us that evolution isn’t about being the biggest or strongest—it’s about adaptability. Their rise shows how small changes in biology can reshape life on Earth. Their fall reminds us how fragile ecosystems can be in the face of sudden change.