Dinosaurs Thrived Across North America Before Asteroid Extinction

Recent groundbreaking research from the San Juan Basin in northwestern New Mexico reveals that dinosaurs were thriving shortly before the mass extinction event 66 million years ago, challenging the long-held belief that dinosaur populations were in decline prior to the asteroid impact. Fossils, including those of the large long-necked Alamosaurus, have been precisely dated using Earth's magnetic field reversals and radiometric methods, indicating they lived within a narrow window of about 340,000 to 400,000 years before the extinction. This diverse and vibrant ecosystem contrasts with northern regions such as Montana, where different species dominated, suggesting regional variations in dinosaur communities. Scientists emphasize that this evidence counters previous assumptions by showing dinosaurs were flourishing up until the sudden asteroid strike that abruptly ended their reign. While this research is based on a single site, it provides compelling new insights into the dynamics of late Cretaceous ecosystems and dinosaur survival prior to extinction. Further studies are needed to confirm whether these findings reflect a global pattern.