What will I learn about: how a catastrophic volcanic event 252 million years ago wiped out 90 percent of species and paved the way for the first dinosaur ancestors?

Discover how a catastrophic volcanic event 252 million years ago wiped out 90 percent of species and paved the way for the first dinosaur ancestors.

What will I learn about: the evolutionary journey of early archosaurs and how they split into the three main dinosaur groups: meat-eating theropods, plant-eating ornithischians, and long-necked sauropods?

Understand the evolutionary journey of early archosaurs and how they split into the three main dinosaur groups: meat-eating theropods, plant-eating ornithischians, and long-necked sauropods.

What will I learn about: Learn why dinosaurs weren't immediately dominant on the supercontinent Pangea, initially making up just a small fraction of the ecosystem in humid southern regions?

Learn why dinosaurs weren't immediately dominant on the supercontinent Pangea, initially making up just a small fraction of the ecosystem in humid southern regions.

What will I learn about: how the mysterious decline of competing herbivores and shifting global climates allowed early dinosaurs to multiply and rapidly migrate across the Earth?

Find out how the mysterious decline of competing herbivores and shifting global climates allowed early dinosaurs to multiply and rapidly migrate across the Earth.

What will I learn about: Explore how dinosaurs miraculously survived apocalyptic lava tsunamis 201 million years ago to outlast their reptilian rivals and become the massive rulers of the Jurassic Age?

Explore how dinosaurs miraculously survived apocalyptic lava tsunamis 201 million years ago to outlast their reptilian rivals and become the massive rulers of the Jurassic Age.

The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs

A New History of a Lost World

Steve Brusatte

★ 4.6 / 5(114 ratings)

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Nature & the Environment Science

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

💡Did you know that the mighty T. rex started its journey as a human-sized underdog, and its rise to the top of the food chain was far from guaranteed?
💡Have you ever wondered what it was really like on the single most catastrophic day in Earth’s history, and why certain creatures survived while others were wiped out?
💡Are you curious about the hidden link between the prehistoric giants of the past and the common animals you see in your backyard today?

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Key Takeaways from The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs

✓Discover how a catastrophic volcanic event 252 million years ago wiped out 90 percent of species and paved the way for the first dinosaur ancestors.
✓Understand the evolutionary journey of early archosaurs and how they split into the three main dinosaur groups: meat-eating theropods, plant-eating ornithischians, and long-necked sauropods.
✓Learn why dinosaurs weren't immediately dominant on the supercontinent Pangea, initially making up just a small fraction of the ecosystem in humid southern regions.
✓Find out how the mysterious decline of competing herbivores and shifting global climates allowed early dinosaurs to multiply and rapidly migrate across the Earth.
✓Explore how dinosaurs miraculously survived apocalyptic lava tsunamis 201 million years ago to outlast their reptilian rivals and become the massive rulers of the Jurassic Age.

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs

Mind Map

The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs

Origins & The Triassic Period+

The Jurassic Period & Dominance+

The Cretaceous Period & Top Predators+

The Avian Connection+

The Extinction Event+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 9

What catastrophic event preceded the rise of the dinosaurs and allowed their ancestors to thrive?

A. An asteroid impact 66 million years ago.
B. A massive volcanic event ending the Permian Period.
C. The sudden breakup of the supercontinent Pangea.
D. A global ice age that wiped out early mammals.

Question 2 of 9

During their early existence on the supercontinent Pangea, what was the ecological status of dinosaurs?

A. They immediately dominated all regions of Pangea.
B. They were mostly confined to the hotter equatorial regions.
C. They made up a small minority of the ecosystem and lived in the shadow of 'false crocodiles.'
D. They were the only surviving reptiles after the Permian extinction.

Question 3 of 9

According to the text, what evolutionary advantage did the massive size and long necks of sauropods provide during the Jurassic Period?

A. It allowed them to seek out and consume much larger quantities of food.
B. It helped them defend against the newly evolved Tyrannosaurus Rex.
C. It enabled them to survive the tsunamis of lava that ended the Triassic Period.
D. It allowed them to reach the foliage of newly evolved, towering fruit trees.

Question 4 of 9

What caused the decline of the giant sauropods and the rise of smaller plant-eating ornithischians at the beginning of the Cretaceous Period?

A. The emergence of pack-hunting tyrannosaurs.
B. A global cold snap and arid conditions that lowered sea levels.
C. A massive asteroid impact that destroyed their food supply.
D. The sudden flooding of the fossil-rich Morrison Formation.

Question 5 of 9

Which of the following is true regarding the evolutionary history of the Tyrannosaurus family?

A. They were always the apex predators of their ecosystems from the Triassic period onward.
B. The family consists entirely of giant dinosaurs that lived exclusively in North America.
C. Early tyrannosaurs were small and lived in the shadow of larger predators like carcharodontosaurs.
D. They evolved directly from the giant sauropods of the Late Jurassic.

Question 6 of 9

What evidence suggests that the Tyrannosaurus Rex was a highly formidable and intelligent predator?

A. It had a bite force of about 3,000 pounds per tooth and a brain size comparable to a chimpanzee's.
B. It successfully hunted carcharodontosaurs to extinction in South America.
C. It was the only dinosaur known to use primitive tools to crack open eggs.
D. It possessed wishbones that allowed its front arms to strike with deadly precision.

Question 7 of 9

Why did dwarf dinosaurs evolve in the region of modern-day Transylvania?

A. They were outcompeted by massive tyrannosaurs and shrunk to hide in dense forests.
B. The region was an island during that period, leading to an evolutionary 'island effect.'
C. A lack of atmospheric oxygen in the area stunted their overall growth.
D. They evolved from small bird-like ancestors that had lost the ability to fly.

Question 8 of 9

What was the original primary function of feathers on early dinosaurs?

A. To enable short-distance gliding to escape ground predators.
B. To assist in swimming across the increasingly fragmented continents.
C. To provide insulation, protection, and visual displays for attracting mates.
D. To help regulate their body temperature during the Permian volcanic eruptions.

Question 9 of 9

How did scientist Walter Alvarez confirm the hypothesis that an asteroid or comet impact caused the mass extinction 66 million years ago?

A. By discovering a 110-mile-wide crater in Gubbio, Italy.
B. By measuring unusually high levels of extraterrestrial iridium in a specific clay layer.
C. By analyzing the sudden decline in diversity among horned ceratopsians.
D. By finding a layer of fossilized dinosaur bones directly beneath a layer of volcanic ash.