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Some Dinosaurs Made Underground Dens

anthemaniac writes "Scientists have long puzzled over how some dinosaurs and other creatures survived the asteroid impact that supposedly caused the KT mass extinction 65 million years ago and wiped out all the big dinosaurs. One idea has been that smaller animals, including mammals, could have endured the fallout, the big chill, the subsequent volcanoes, and whatever else by burrowing. Now scientists have come up with the first evidence of burrowing dinosaurs. They speculate that underground dens might explain how some dinosaurs got through long, dark winters at high latitudes, too."

124 comments

  1. Correction by Wonko+the+Sane · · Score: 5, Funny

    The fake dinosaur bones that god put in the ground to test our faith were positioned in a what was made to appear as an underground burrow.

    This all happened sometime last week.

    1. Re:Correction by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Good bonings, and unfortunately bad bonings as well, have tested the faith of many. People experiencing these have been known to call out to God. Many that occur have been related to underground movements and many people and organizations just try to keep knowledge of such things buried, especially in relation to the bad bonings.

    2. Re:Correction by Wavicle · · Score: 4, Funny

      Yeah I was wondering how those dens saved them from drowning.

      (That was sarcasm. This is a note for the sarcasm impaired.)

      --
      Education is a better safeguard of liberty than a standing army.
      Edward Everett (1794 - 1865)
    3. Re:Correction by gardyloo · · Score: 4, Funny

      So you're saying that sometimes, "Noah!" just means "Noah" ?

    4. Re:Correction by zhang1983 · · Score: 1

      You LIE papa! I'm sure Zerglings exist! And Santa too... :(

    5. Re:Correction by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      man, the repetativeness of religion bashing and jokes about chairs and a certain microsoft executive make beavis and butthead look like a thinking mans comedy around here.
       
      seriously guys, it's getting old. if you can't find something more original to pull out of your ass either you're twice as dumb as they are or they're right.

    6. Re:Correction by Pink+Tinkletini · · Score: 0

      The moderator who marked your comment "flamebait" is evidence of Slashdot's decline. What is this, a community of humorless pencil-pushers?

    7. Re:Correction by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      well, their heads are firmly up there, so there's not much hope.

    8. Re:Correction by Wonko+the+Sane · · Score: 1, Offtopic

      man, the repetativeness of religion bashing and jokes about chairs and a certain microsoft executive make beavis and butthead look like a thinking mans comedy around here.

      You're right. No joke I could make would be as funny as what those people say all by themselves.
    9. Re:Correction by Dunbal · · Score: 1

      man, the repetativeness of religion bashing and jokes about chairs and a certain microsoft executive make beavis and butthead look like a thinking mans comedy

            Not to mention the bad spelling and grammar!

      --
      Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
    10. Re:Correction by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually I was just poking fun at the parent post. Apparently I found a mod that never had a sexual partner scream "Oh God, Oh God, Oh God, OH GOD! OOOOHHHH" or they were a victim of a bad boning. (Note to mods, not all bad bonings are related to priests.) Oh, and "underground movements" can have lots of meanings, including sex clubs, swingers groups, fraternity "easy" lists, sorority "stud" lists (equal rights!), and many others, both good and bad with some of the "bad" depending point of view.

      Feel free to mod me offtopic, but I figured to basement dwellers any thought of underground sex movement would be welcome. Note: feel free to laugh at the humorous intent while you do so. Guess I should thank you for the "heat attracting" mod, bring the hot ones on. How do you think the dinosaurs kept warm in those burrows? Suppose it's possible too that I am becoming a dinosaur in that the younger ladies not herded to Sunday school and church all the time don't ever use "oh, God" but that would be a whole other topic and would go against the virginal reputation of Slashdotters.

    11. Re:Correction by AnotherUsername · · Score: 0

      In Soviet Russia, pencils push you!

      --
      I don't like Linux. This doesn't make me a troll.
    12. Re:Correction by packeteer · · Score: 1

      That website uses so many tables and such crappy color scheme it makes jesus cry...

      --
      unzip; strip; touch; finger; mount; fsck; more; yes; unmount; sleep
    13. Re:Correction by Tatisimo · · Score: 3, Funny

      Actually, this article proves that a few thousand years ago (and maybe even now) dinosaurs were burrowing themselves so deep that it looks like they lived millions of years ago. You should now speak for god name in vain unless you do your "research", have received "holy enlightment" or been huffing kittens.

      --
      Give Kashyyyk back to the Wookies
    14. Re:Correction by Harmonious+Botch · · Score: 1

      Not when it's wet.

    15. Re:Correction by Yvanhoe · · Score: 1

      I think you, creationists, will be less confident once Godzilla will have waken up !

      --
      The Wise adapts himself to the world. The Fool adapts the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the Fool.
    16. Re:Correction by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      man, the repetativeness of

      Its 'repetitiveness.' Spell it right. Cretin.

    17. Re:Correction by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      noooooo!!! Jebus tears!!! they burn, they burn!!

    18. Re:Correction by Daniel+Dvorkin · · Score: 1

      As long as creationists keep saying stupid things, why shouldn't we keep pointing and laughing?

      --
      The correlation between ignorance of statistics and using "correlation is not causation" as an argument is close to 1.
    19. Re:Correction by WilliamSChips · · Score: 1

      But you're supposed to give equal time to all opinions, except those that are right!

      --
      Please, for the good of Humanity, vote Obama.
    20. Re:Correction by The+Spoonman · · Score: 1

      fake dinosaur bones that god put in the ground to test our faith

      No, no, no, no, NO! You're being lead astray by the dark one! Fossils were not put there by god, they were put there by the DEVIL to lure us away from god. Jeez, don't you know ANYTHING?

      --
      Which is more painful? Going to work or gouging your eye out with a spoon? Find out!
      http://www.workorspoon.com
    21. Re:Correction by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      <---- Wikipedia's over there, doc.

    22. Re:Correction by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Never underestimate the value of ridicule. I am more willing to put up with Beavis and Butthead than yet another vacuous, contrived fundamentalist rant saying "Science is wrong! The Bible tells me so!"

  2. I for one... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...welcome our old burrowing dinosaur overlords

  3. Welllllll by Spazntwich · · Score: 5, Funny

    if the dinosaurs were so smart, how come they're dead?

    1. Re:Welllllll by TheSHAD0W · · Score: 1, Funny

      Because the cavemen killed them all, 6,000 years ago.

      And call them dragons, not dinosaurs. Otherwise you're courting hellfire, my friend!

    2. Re:Welllllll by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      if the dinosaurs were so smart, how come they're dead?


      They became bird-brained after being forced onto a diet of seeds and insects?
    3. Re:Welllllll by Walt+Dismal · · Score: 4, Funny
      if the dinosaurs were so smart, how come they're dead?

      Because they did extensive file sharing, and the RIAA sued them out of existence.

    4. Re:Welllllll by kitsunewarlock · · Score: 1

      If dinosaurs were so smart, why did they repost?

      Wait...or maybe I just read this myself on BBC...

      --
      Ginga no Rekshiya Mata Each page.
    5. Re:Welllllll by mrbluze · · Score: 1

      Well, instead of studying in their dens, they probably just typed in comments on slashdot and watched porn all day, so forgot to eat.

      --
      Do it yourself, because no one else will do it yourself. [beta blockade 10-17 Feb]
    6. Re:Welllllll by drawfour · · Score: 5, Funny

      they probably just typed in comments on slashdot and watched porn all day, so forgot to eat.
      Thanks for reminding me!
    7. Re:Welllllll by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      err .. how come we aren't ?

    8. Re:Welllllll by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      why would you need a reminder to watch porn?

    9. Re:Welllllll by Tablizer · · Score: 1

      if the dinosaurs were so smart, how come they're dead?

      No, they evolved into birds. Now they can fly and you can't!

    10. Re:Welllllll by iminplaya · · Score: 1

      Can too! And a lot faster than some stupid bird.

      --
      What?
    11. Re:Welllllll by Tablizer · · Score: 1

      But even a cockroach and microbe can take a plane

    12. Re:Welllllll by iminplaya · · Score: 1

      1) Yes, but how are they going to know if they're on the right one?

      2) Let's see 'em build one. Well, since we're essentially a collection of microbes, I guess they already have.

      --
      What?
    13. Re:Welllllll by WilliamSChips · · Score: 1

      I'm not talking about birds, I'm talking about real flying T-Rexes. I'm not one to say evolution dropped the ball here, but I know a certain consonant-loving former NASA roboticist who would be in ABJECT TERROR if flying velociraptors roamed the skies!

      --
      Please, for the good of Humanity, vote Obama.
  4. On the evolutionary tree... by TFGeditor · · Score: 1, Interesting

    ...I wonder where the branch is that sprouted modern burrowing/hibernating reptiles and mammals. And where did the branch bifurcate to give rise to non-burrowing/hibernating mammals? To my best recollection, all reptiles hibernate in one fashopn or another.

    --
    Ignorance is curable, stupid is forever.
    1. Re:On the evolutionary tree... by Oligonicella · · Score: 1

      What you said makes no sense. Dinosaurs and mammals share an extremely ancient ancestor. There is no branch that sprouted burrowing dinosaurs/mammals.

      Your recollection is faulty. I'd say the Asian gliding lizard, komodo dragon and other tropical reptiles that never see fall, much less winter, do not hibernate. Estivate? Another story.

    2. Re:On the evolutionary tree... by TFGeditor · · Score: 1

      "Estivate? Another story."

      Point taken. I tend to overlook behaviors in climates other than temperate.

      Of course, the obstinate might argue that estivation is the complement of hibernation, but you will get no such argument here.

      --
      Ignorance is curable, stupid is forever.
    3. Re:On the evolutionary tree... by linguizic · · Score: 4, Informative

      Burrowing, like all behaviors, can't really be traced phylogenically for a couple of reasons:1.As this article shows us, it's hard to find evidence of behaviors that happened yesterday let alone millions of years ago (though under the right conditions burrowing does leave a trace, as the article shows), 2. Behaviors vary more wildly than the average allele. Though there is a large component of genetics at play with behavior, ultimately behaviors are products of the physiological phenotypes associated with said alleles and sensory input. Different environmental inputs yield different behavioral outputs for the same allele. Therefore there isn't an isomorphic relationship between genes and behavior. Behavioral traits tend to pop up independently of each other quite often, so it is impossible to say that there is one node on the evolutionary branch that "sprouted modern burrowing/hibernating reptiles and mammals".

      Granted this is coming from what I learned as an undergraduate so there are probably better people in the /. community to comment on this. (That's my way of saying: "Though I may sound like an expert, I very well may be full of crap and would love it if someone with more knowledge would fact check this post").

      --
      Does this sig remind you of Agatha Christie?
    4. Re:On the evolutionary tree... by Dersaidin · · Score: 0
      Yes... where is that branch...

      There must be an underground civilization of dinosaurs!!
      Just like all those movies! We must go and steal their crystals or something!!!

    5. Re:On the evolutionary tree... by TapeCutter · · Score: 2, Insightful

      "What you said makes no sense."

      True, but I think there is a good question underneath it: When did animals that "sleep" on a seasonal timetable diverge from animals that "sleep" on a daily timetable, or is an animals sleep pattern a recuring mutation in the wiring for the "sleep instinct" that is triggered by climate/daylight/resources/whatever?

      "Estivate?"

      I'm nearly 50 and would also have said "hibernate". You taught me a new word today, thanks.

      --
      And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.
    6. Re:On the evolutionary tree... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm nearly 50..... So did you happen to see any of these burrowing dinosaurs while hiking through 4 feet of snow uphill to school everyday?
    7. Re:On the evolutionary tree... by pen · · Score: 1

      FWIW, humans too have a burrowing reflex.

    8. Re:On the evolutionary tree... by Sique · · Score: 1

      Executive summary:

      Burrowing gets invented and forgotten again quite often during the development of animals, and it's highly probable that a burrow dweller has non burrowing predecessors and also highly probable, that a non burrower has burrow dwellers in his genealogy chart.

      --
      .sig: Sique *sigh*
  5. Comparison to human-size by gardyloo · · Score: 3, Funny

    The images shown in the story are quite informative. Apparently, the http://images.livescience.com/images/070323_dino_s cale_02.jpg people's noses were much larger back then, too.

    1. Re:Comparison to human-size by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      No, he's just Jewish.

    2. Re:Comparison to human-size by mrbluze · · Score: 1

      The images shown in the story are quite informative. Apparently, the http://images.livescience.com/images/070323_dino_s cale_02.jpg people's noses were much larger back then, too.

      That's probably because back then there wasn't so much money around. Or alternatively, you could insert any other nose joke here :)

      --
      Do it yourself, because no one else will do it yourself. [beta blockade 10-17 Feb]
    3. Re:Comparison to human-size by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It also appears they had hooves.

    4. Re:Comparison to human-size by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's because they were all hand-picked.

  6. Underground dinosaurs? by malevolentjelly · · Score: 5, Funny

    These burrowing dinosaurs must be from the species of Skeletal Dinosaurs we've found living underground for millions of years.

    SECRET TIP: Use bludgeoning weapons when fighting skeletal dinosaurs, they're resistant to piercing! ;)

    1. Re:Underground dinosaurs? by skoaldipper · · Score: 1

      Namco scientists unearthed these dinosaurs back in the 80s actually, and early cavemen used bicycle tire pumps to fend them off. We can only assume those same cavemen used bicycles on the surface to out maneuver those Galaxian cruisers as well - although there seems to be a missing link detailing that transition.

      --
      I hope, when they die, cartoon characters have to answer for their sins.
    2. Re:Underground dinosaurs? by Dunbal · · Score: 1

      These burrowing dinosaurs must be from the species of Skeletal Dinosaurs we've found living underground for millions of years.


            Cool! That explains why these fossils skeletal dinosaurs are always found underground!

      --
      Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
    3. Re:Underground dinosaurs? by Courageous · · Score: 0, Redundant

      Mod -1, D&D DORK :)

    4. Re:Underground dinosaurs? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Even more secret tip: Flip them over and attack their weak spot for massive damage!

    5. Re:Underground dinosaurs? by pipingguy · · Score: 0, Redundant

      Please mod up to +5, funny.

      No, not this post, dummy, the one before it.

    6. Re:Underground dinosaurs? by poopdeville · · Score: 0, Troll

      Please mod this post +5, Troll.

      You know you want to.

      --
      After all, I am strangely colored.
    7. Re:Underground dinosaurs? by dragonturtle69 · · Score: 1

      How did the DigDug reference not get recognized?

      --
      "What luck for the rulers that men do not think." - Adolph Hitler
  7. Time event? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Maybe they passed through a time portal into a warmer epoch and then jumped back after the terminal event had passed.

  8. Divine Intervention by hedgemage · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    I thought they survived the KT extinction through the grace of Raptor Jesus http://www.encyclopediadramatica.com/index.php/Rap tor_Jesus

  9. Great. by EvanED · · Score: 1

    What do you want to bet that these dinosaurs lived in bigger "dens" than my apartment?

    1. Re:Great. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, most lived in their parents' basements.

  10. Viva Randomness! by NotQuiteReal · · Score: 1
    Viva* Randomness!

    Over the long run, before all life is extinguished from Earth, I predict random forms of life will survive.

    I can make my PayPal account available for those of you who wish to put a wager amount into my account for the duration of human history.

    I pay 22:7 odds that I am right. Make your deposit today!

    * "Viva"; dictionary.com def #5 = "long live"

    --
    This issue is a bit more complicated than you think.
    1. Re:Viva Randomness! by TheDreadSlashdotterD · · Score: 1

      For large definitions of "long" right?

      --
      I have nothing to say.
    2. Re:Viva Randomness! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Re: definition of "Viva".

      Kinda makes ya wonder about those paper towels, don't it? (My parents were kinda retentive about paper product usage, "one to a kid" and all that.

  11. Someone tell me... by DiamondGeezer · · Score: 1

    How does a burrowing dinosaur 91 million years ago prove or disprove anything about the asteroid impact 65 million years ago? I must have missed a leap of logic somewhere...

    --
    Tubby or not tubby. Fat is the question
    1. Re:Someone tell me... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "This newfound digging behavior could have aided dinosaurs "to inhabit more extreme environments," Varricchio told LiveScience. "We've had examples of dinosaurs in the Cretaceous living at very high latitudes, close to the North Pole and South Pole. So maybe dinosaurs could burrow to last out the dark winter months."

      Such burrows could have even helped dinosaurs sheltered in underground dens to survive the initial effects of the asteroid strike or volcanic eruptions that scientists currently suspect killed the dinosaurs. However, once all the food ran out, "you're going to die," Fastovsky said."

  12. College students burrow too! by physicsphairy · · Score: 5, Funny

    When the great cataclysmic meteorite strikes, only those of us sequestered in basements playing WoW and hacking up patches to the Linux kernel will survive the impact. And, even more certainly, when the atmospheric plume of debris blocks out the sun, others will starve, and only we who subsist on inorganics such as cheetos and mountain dew will live to assert our genes in the remnant ecosystem.

    1. Re:College students burrow too! by Dunbal · · Score: 4, Funny

      only those of us sequestered in basements playing WoW and hacking up patches to the Linux kernel will survive the impact.

            An alternative path:

            Only to die miserably of internet withdrawal in a caffeine-induced continual attempt to reconnect to the servers...

      --
      Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
    2. Re:College students burrow too! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And when the cheetos and dew supplies run dry, we can always dine on our own headlice and the occasional cockroach.

    3. Re:College students burrow too! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "only we who subsist on inorganics such as cheetos and mountain dew will live to assert our genes in the remnant ecosystem"

      Yeah, if there are any fertile females down there with you to assert your genes with!

      Otherwise, you'll still die.
      You'll just have a longer, slower death.

    4. Re:College students burrow too! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, if there are any fertile females down there with you to assert your genes with!


      Well, probably not in the same basement, but there are bound to be some doing laundry in the basement somewhere and they might be more then willing if you dig them out of their basement and offer to share the bed in your basement with them. Especially if their jocks died while watching sports while laying on the sofa in the living room. They might even have some can goods stored in their basement. Better save the laundry detergent, bleach, peroxide, alcohol etc too, you might just need it.
    5. Re:College students burrow too! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ...will live to assert our genes in the remnant ecosystem.

      By artificial insemination I assume. Or what? You've developed a way to impregnate your hand?

    6. Re:College students burrow too! by ignavus · · Score: 1

      But you won't know how to reproduce.

      --
      I am anarch of all I survey.
    7. Re:College students burrow too! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What sad irony that the ones who survive, are the ones who won't reproduce.

    8. Re:College students burrow too! by KnowledgeKeeper · · Score: 0

      But, but, but...where will the girls be?

      --
      It is always better to be a first grade version of yourself than a second grade version of someone else.
  13. Fallout Shelters? by rubberchickenboy · · Score: 2, Funny

    So, did dinosaurs have to endure those irritating "Duck and Cover" films in school, too?

    1. Re:Fallout Shelters? by Savage-Rabbit · · Score: 3, Funny

      So, did dinosaurs have to endure those irritating "Duck and Cover" films in school, too? No, it was 'Run and Burrow'... if your had read TFA you would know that.
      --
      Only to idiots, are orders laws.
      -- Henning von Tresckow
    2. Re:Fallout Shelters? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Where do you think we got those films from? The reptiles originally taught the mammals about duck and cover.

    3. Re:Fallout Shelters? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, there were no ducks back then. Birds evolved much later from the few surviving dinosaurs.

  14. So much for these... by davidsyes · · Score: 1

    Denizens......

    Their Zen in Cavedwelling was quite earthly...

    --
    Previously: "Linux... Toward the Sunrise..." Now: "Linux... Toward the-- No, now, part of Every Sunrise"
  15. Extinction of the Dinosaurs, procreation of humans by BRUTICUS · · Score: 1

    Humans probably wouldn't be here right now if not for the meteor that wiped out most predators on Earth. Primates probably wouldn't have had the opportunity to evolve....

    Its quite possible that a mass extinction such as that would even be somewhat of a prerequisite for intelligent life to evolve somewhere in the universe.

  16. What's so puzzling? by tompaulco · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I don't see why dinosaurs would have had to burrow to survive. I'm sure many dinosaurs died because they were close to the blast. But others were on the other side of the world. Global climate changed as a result of the impact, and most of the larger dinosaurs probably died of starvation. The smaller ones probably found enough to stay alive. Notably, most of the early mammals were also small.

    --
    If you are not allowed to question your government then the government has answered your question.
    1. Re:What's so puzzling? by Knutsi · · Score: 1

      As a citizen of a very snowy country, it's also apparent that small creatures manage much better in cold and snowy conditions than large onces. If there was a global "nuclear winter" following an impact, small nimble creatures would do quite well in snowy areas, using snow for isolation, digging tunnels. Also, imagine the massive death of vegetation and animal life that follows. If the cold set, this could make a refrigrated decent lunch box for smaller animals in the time to come.

    2. Re:What's so puzzling? by Loke+the+Dog · · Score: 1

      Agreed, small animals are better at using the snow to their advantage and surviving on what little food there is. However, during the last iceage, the large animals where dominant. The same can be said for polarbears, which are unusually large bears, and pinguins, which are unusually large birds, among others. So I cant agree that small animals are always better.

    3. Re:What's so puzzling? by Knutsi · · Score: 1

      Interesting that, yes. One could imagine that there must have been dinosaur-equivlants of seals an polar bears that could potentially have coped by migrating a bit. Maybe the foodchain collapsed completely, or maybe dinosaus where quite simply cold-blooded (I think that's been a issue of debate), and could not actually evolve to a point where they could suvive temperateus below a certain point... I dunno.

      "And the hampster shall inherit the Earth" - guess the dinos didn't see that one coming.

      I still think small warm-blooded mamals is a safe horse in the event of global cataclysm ;) Let's make sure NASA get it's cash to we won't have to devolve into rodents to survive when the next blast comes.

  17. This is stupid by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Dinosaurs are so 1st grade-ish. Must be a slow news day.

  18. Dinosaur extinction breaks my brain by robson · · Score: 2, Insightful

    *Why* were dinosaurs the ones to be wiped out completely?

    Mammals survived because they're small? There were small dinosaurs.

    Fish survived because they're water-dwelling? There were water-dwelling dinosaurs.

    Reptiles survived because...?!?

    I'm sure it's more complicated than this, and that's why I'm asking -- can someone help me understand? Why every dinosaur on the planet, regardless of habitat/diet/size died, while so many non-dinosaurs survived?

    1. Re:Dinosaur extinction breaks my brain by tftp · · Score: 1

      Maybe dinosaurs, being cold-blooded, could not adapt to suddenly much colder climate, whereas warm-blooded mammals just had to eat more and run more to stay warm. Lizards that we have today could be the last dinosaurs alive.

    2. Re:Dinosaur extinction breaks my brain by am+2k · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Actually, many scientists believe that dinosaurs evolved into what is now known as birds.

      You wouldn't find any of the mammals that lived back then in today's world, either.

    3. Re:Dinosaur extinction breaks my brain by robson · · Score: 1

      Actually, many scientists believe that dinosaurs evolved into what is now known as birds.

      You wouldn't find any of the mammals that lived back then in today's world, either.

      Yet there are plenty of fish and reptiles that have remained virtually unchanged since the time of the dinosaurs, right? And I think it's a small subset of dinos that are said to have evolved into birds; that certainly doesn't resolve the big questions...
    4. Re:Dinosaur extinction breaks my brain by orkysoft · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Dinosaurs is what we call the reptiles that went extinct about 65 million years ago.

      That should answer your question why all the dinosaurs went extinct. They're defined that way.

      --

      I suffer from attention surplus disorder.
    5. Re:Dinosaur extinction breaks my brain by robson · · Score: 2, Informative

      Dinosaurs is what we call the reptiles that went extinct about 65 million years ago.

      That should answer your question why all the dinosaurs went extinct. They're defined that way. Okay, riddle me this: Why did no reptile whose legs extended below the body ("dinosaur") rather than to the side ("lizard") survive, regardless of their scale, location, or diet?

      That aside, while researching a reply, I found something close to what I was looking for on Wikipedia (though the section is marked as needing citations):

      Possible patterns and trends

      Despite its overall severity, the K-T extinction was rather patchy. This raises the question of why some groups died out while others did not.

      There do seem to be some general trends:

      * Organisms which depended on photosynthesis became extinct or suffered heavy losses - from photosynthesing plankton (e.g. coccolithophorids) to land plants. And so did organisms whose food chain depended on photosynthesising organisms, e.g. tyrannosaurs (which ate vegetarian dinosaurs, which ate plants).
      * Organisms which built calcium carbonate shells became extinct or suffered heavy losses (coccolithophorids; many groups of molluscs, including ammonites, rudists, freshwater snails and mussels). And so did organisms whose food chain depended on these calcium carbonate shell builders. For example it is thought that ammonites were the principal food of mosasaurs.
      * Omnivores, insectivores and carrion-eaters appear to have survived quite well. It is worth noting that at the end of the Cretaceous there seem to have been no purely vegetarian or carnivorous mammals. Many mammals, and the birds which survived the extinction, fed on insects, larvae, worms, snails etc., which in turn fed on dead plant matter. So they survived the collapse of plant-based food chains because they lived in "detritus-based" food chains.
      * In stream communities few groups of animals became extinct. Stream communities tend to be less reliant on food from living plants and are more dependent on detritus that washes in from land. The stream communities may also have been buffered from extinction by their reliance on detritus-based food chains. (See Sheehan and Fastovsky, Geology, v. 20, p. 556-560.)
      * Similar, but more complex patterns have been found in the oceans. For example, animals living in the water column are almost entirely dependent on primary production from living phytoplankton. Many animals living on or in the ocean floor feed on detritus, or at least can switch to detritus feeding. Extinction was more severe among those animals living in the water column than among animals living on or in the sea floor.
      * No land animal larger than a cat survived.
      * The largest air-breathing survivors, crocodilians and champsosaurs, were semi-aquatic. Modern crocodilians can live as scavengers and can survive for as long as a year without a meal. And modern crocodilians' young are small, grow slowly and feed largely on invertebrates for their first few years - so they rely on a detritus-based food chain.
    6. Re:Dinosaur extinction breaks my brain by DerekLyons · · Score: 1

      Reptiles survived because...?!?

      Reptiles did survive - but they never evolved back into the niches they went extinct from (large carnivores and herbivores) because mammals (and fishes) evolved into those niches faster and competed more efficiently.
  19. burrowing sates hunger too by pbhj · · Score: 1

    yeah so getting through long dark winter is fine for non-hibernating animals, they just burrow down and then suddenly they don't need to eat any more, no matter that their prey / food-vegetation has gone, oh yeah and burrowing down is also a preventative against molten lava and thirst

    no, no, i didn't RTFA, i got hungry and was too busy burrowing

  20. I can believe that by zogger · · Score: 3, Insightful

    We have a small flock of what I now call the "cluckeraptors", because they certainly *act* like I imagine dinosaurs would act. I mean, they may be small and feathery and soft looking, but watch them run around the yard and interact with each other and you can see how utterly ruthless and focused they are. A few primary drives to them and not much else. For instance if one of them gets injured or the least bit "off" or ill, the others will be merciless with them, it's like they can't stand weakness and translate that to "food". Fascinating to watch really. Lean down close and look a rooster right in the eye, you can see the miniature power there. If they were say ten feet tall or larger, yes indeedy they would be serious nasty predators.

    1. Re:I can believe that by Plutonite · · Score: 1
      Your post may be very insightful and everything, but you cannot argue with centuries of human's equating cowardice to the word "chicken". The day I get nightmares thinking about giant chickens will be the day I finally admit that psychotherapy may in fact have uses. They're not scary dammit. I refuse to follow your reasoning.

      Lean down close and look a rooster right in the eye, you can see the miniature power there. No, you can see the "utter stupidity and cluelessness inherent in being a chicken" there. And I wouldn't put my eyes very close to a rooster's beak, by the way. Insurance companies don't like it.
      [humor ends here]

      Finally I would like to say that of course dinosaurs partly survived. The possibility of the entire range of land animals evolving again from ground zero is not very high at all. That would require fish to develop lungs and "legs" again, plus the entire sequence of successful genetic mutations that lead to the basic characteristics shared between dinos and today's phyla. I haven't done the math, but I wager not enough time for all this to happen all over again, particularly as the probabilities dramatically decrease when "stacked" after each other.
  21. "homo cubicularis": the office worker by viking80 · · Score: 1

    The dinosaur in TFA, Oryctodromeus cubicularis, or "digging runner of the lair" may share some genes with the homo sapiens surviving this. This is probably office workers who work all hours and dont take much time outside. Maybe future archaeologists will name these new hominoids "homo cubicularis"

    --
    don't cut it off www.mgmbill.org
  22. AS SEEN ON DIGG like a year ago by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    (or earlier today) WAY TO GO slashdong!!

  23. More evidence... by Brad1138 · · Score: 2, Informative

    Now scientists have come up with the first evidence of burrowing dinosaurs. They speculate that underground dens might explain how some dinosaurs got through long, dark winters at high latitudes, too.

    I believe this proves it beyond a doubt.

    --
    If you could reason with religious people, there would be no religious people
  24. Dinosaurs by Christheclaw · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I find it odd that people get so angry when evolution is attacked. Science should be attacked so that science can be explored.I don't think that the fact that all things that exist in corralation to one another. Sand, water, air, creatures, plants, why are they in delicate balance>? Not to mention everything has a mathmatical base. And why do chemicals relate in solid, clear, reactions to one another? Why are there creatures that live in symbiotic relation with certain plants or parasites>? Why does everything although random still have a basic orderly base? Why do animals have genetic pools they come from, even though they vary, they still do not leave that pool, but instead point to a orgin of one set of animals. If evolution does exisit, that means man had to have had relations with a monkey in order to get more of the same species and a purifying of this to the human species we have now. In that case, that would mean that humans are but one of many apes and receding genes would have difinitive characteristics of true apes as the theory suggests. It was even shown on National Geographic that the origin of man has been traced to messopotamia. Believe in the existance of God or do not, science does not really clarify whether or not evolution is the answer. Species hopping seems so odd to me as a concept even after billions of years because you would see these traits no matter how remote in the genetic strain.As for a flood theory, there is evidence among world wide culture there was a flood. It would make sense if animals had procreated beyond their original set pool and variations had happened, then larger species for the most part would have died and climatic changes would have happened as well. Maybe not as we typically veiw a Biblical perspective but close enough. I veiw that slamming either side is rediculous. Look at science with an open mind and you get answers, there may be answers under your nose.

    1. Re:Dinosaurs by Teun · · Score: 1

      If evolution does exisit, that means man had to have had relations with a monkey in order to get more of the same species and a purifying of this to the human species we have now.

      Your questions are nicely summed up in your thought above.
      No of course man did not have to have relations with monkeys, according to general evolution theory there is just a common ancestor, nor man nor monkey.
      An other example is the relation between bear and dog, they probably share a common ancestor too.

      And when you go sufficiently back in time you'd probably find some simple microbe as ancestor to all living beings.

      That includes the bible belt/no sex/no evolution education communities that were a Slashdot subject a few days ago:
      Organism Survives 100 Million Years Without Sex
      --
      "The likes of Facebook and WhatsApp are free to those whose privacy is of zero value."
    2. Re:Dinosaurs by Legion303 · · Score: 0, Troll

      "I find it odd that people get so angry when evolution is attacked."

      I can't speak for anyone else, but I personally get angry when the theory of evolution is attacked by ignorant people who don't know that their criticisms have already been addressed many, many times over. For instance:

      "If evolution does exisit, that means man had to have had relations with a monkey in order to get more of the same species and a purifying of this to the human species we have now."

      You braying fucking jackass.

      "science does not really clarify whether or not evolution is the answer."

      Could you be any more vague, please?

    3. Re:Dinosaurs by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Science is manifestly not about looking at stuff with an open mind. That's when you start giving things like magic spells and Timecube undue credit.

      Science is about looking at stuff with a critical mind. The reason science works is that it has the most stringent criteria for acceptance of ideas - only if it matches empirical data better than anything we already have; and even then, only until we come up with something better.

      When evolution is attacked, science itself is attacked. It would be no different if gravity were attacked:
      http://www.theonion.com/content/node/39512

    4. Re:Dinosaurs by yoder · · Score: 1

      Parent post is precisely why religion and science don't mix.

      By the way, in case you haven't noticed, this is a technology site and not a fundamentalist christian site. You see, there is a difference between the two because one site has a group of well meaning, but hopelessly lost souls headed straight for hell, and the other site has a bunch of nerds.

      --
      "In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act!" -- George Orwell (Eric Arthur Blair)
    5. Re:Dinosaurs by truckaxle · · Score: 1

      Species hopping seems so odd to me as a concept even after billions of years because you would see these traits no matter how remote in the genetic strain.As for a flood theory, there is evidence among world wide culture there was a flood. It would make sense if animals had procreated beyond their original set pool and variations had happened, then larger species for the most part would have died and climatic changes would have happened as well.


      Wow! No doubt about it that block of text is impervious to rebuttal - are you on ecstasy or something? You insert the ole global theory like it fits with the rest of the nonsense.

      Psst... other cultures have flood myths because as humans transitioned from hunter-gathering to agriculture they settle in rich river valleys, and as we all know river valleys tend to flood on occasions.
    6. Re:Dinosaurs by Christheclaw · · Score: 1

      Sorry to ask about your beliefs, I could not ask anyone a question without getting attacked verbally. I find your commentary inflamed, when I only asked some questions. I was under the assumption that people who know everything could answer a few rhetorical questions. My understanding from evolution was that we are decendants of Ape-like creatures, which means something from that species had to continue to fine tune the genetic line.It means you believe you came from some animal, then your ancestor having relations to procreate a species is natural, not offensive. It was not meant to insult you.I now realise that you hold your belief sacred, but I did not call you a evil hate based name.Also, if you want to stereotype and hate Christians, why is it when people have a need, are starving, need help or need unconditional love, that regardless of your beliefs, your standing in life or your orientation, Christians look to meet those needs w/o reservation? Volunteer for a month in a place where there is need w/o reward then decide if a Christian, or any other Religion deserves to be spoken about in such a manner.This is also directed at the comments below. I will not scare you to think for yourself, or to form opinions outside of your comfort zone. I asked a question.That was it. I will not continue to ask people in this forum or any other on slashdot, it seems that I was mistaken in thinking I could ask questions.As for dinosaurs digging dens, I don't see why not, I lived in the desert and saw many lizards who dug, or borrowed dens from others. One more thing, calling a woman a foul name is NOT flattering.

    7. Re:Dinosaurs by Legion303 · · Score: 1

      You'll notice that I said nothing at all about Christians, troll.

  25. Um, what now? by cascadingstylesheet · · Score: 1

    >This all happened sometime last week.

    Um, what now?

    The fact that we have to make up *more* untestable stories
    ("Uh, they burrowed! Yeah, that explains it ...") to make
    the earlier untestable stories hold together means that
    *other* people are dumb? ;)

    1. Re:Um, what now? by Anthony · · Score: 1

      Untestable? There is plenty of fossible evidence for burrowing. In fact fossil burrows show up all the time in littoral sediments. Same principle applies on land but they are much rarer. For example they can be "mummified" in dry conditions or rapidly buried in ash or mud (and no, not one big one-off flood event either).

      --
      Slashdot: Where nerds gather to pool their ignorance
  26. primeval by zogger · · Score: 1

    They are pretty primeval to be sure, that was the point, they have a few focused tasks. Even with the domestic chickens roosters have been known to be fairly fierce fighters, hence the deal with chicken fights around the world. I was just noting that something like that, totally wild and large, would be quite the predator.

  27. Far Side....? by nerdonamotorcycle · · Score: 1

    Why am I picturing this as a Gary Larson cartoon, with the dinosaurs lounging in an underground "den" that has wood paneling and a big-screen TV?

  28. manifest destiny by Bastard+of+Subhumani · · Score: 1

    I guess they were just men, not cavemen - at least until they'd evicted the previous occupants.

    --
    Only three things are certain; death, taxes, and apocryphal quotations - Ben Franklin.
  29. Yes, actually. The cat does got my tongue. by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Well, if dinosaur bones were planted by the Devil, as was the evidence of a super-ancient world and of an asteroid strike and mass dieoff, I suppose it makes sense to plant fake evidence that some dinosaurs burrowed and survived the asteroid.

    Logic!

    --
    (-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
  30. Re:Yes, actually. The cat does got my tongue. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Well, if dinosaur bones were planted by the Devil, as was the evidence of a super-ancient world and of an asteroid strike and mass dieoff, I suppose it makes sense to plant fake evidence that some dinosaurs burrowed and survived the asteroid.

    Logic!


    Anytime "Intelligent Design" comes up, I end up marveling at how incredibly anal retentive the fundementalist god is/was. Really, who worships anal retentive childishly vindictive little creator types?

    Oh, sure ... "think of the children".
  31. Obligatory Dr Strangelove reference by Latent+Heat · · Score: 1

    Where is the reference to the mine shafts? The computer that will let the dinosaurs into the mines based on preselected criteria that will favor the leadership and military classes? The 10:1 female:male dinosaur ratio in the underground community?

  32. Convenient? by Dausha · · Score: 1

    Isn't it a bit convenient that there was a problem (how did they survive), a speculation (ugh, they digged holes), and sudden, subsequent discovery (hey, here are the burrowing buggers, or rather, digging dinosaurs).

    --
    What those who want activist courts fear is rule by the people.
  33. They dug too deep by EmbeddedJanitor · · Score: 1

    and got turned into oil. That's where fossil fuel comes from.

    --
    Engineering is the art of compromise.
  34. bulldust by TapeCutter · · Score: 1

    I'm nearly 50.....

    So did you happen to see any of these burrowing dinosaurs while hiking through 4 feet of snow uphill to school everyday?


    We used to carry a couple of burrowing dinosours in our school bag, we used them to distract the crocs while fording the river by strapping an inflated kanagroo gut to each arm. And hills! Don't alk to me about hills! We had bush tracks so steep that we often grazed our noses on the ground, and it was uphill BOTH ways!

    BTW: I'm an Aussie you insensitive clod, only rich kids had snow (or rubber "water wings). It wouldn't be so bad if Christmas was in winter, at least in winter we had mud, but nooooo....we had six inches of bulldust and had to "make belive". Do you know how hard it is to make a snowman from bulldust....I didn't think so... So I'll tell ya! There was one time we covered by kid brother with bulldust to try and get the shape right. After a lot of screaming and crying we realized he was standing on a bull-ants nest, the poor little guy we had to tie a tornaquay around his .... oh never mind, your too young for that.... ;)
    --
    And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.
  35. They have to come out sometime by writerjosh · · Score: 1

    Many reptiles hibernate and even burrow in shallow mud: true. But they always have to come out sometime to feed and heat their bodies (cold-blooded). A burrowing dinosaur would have to do the same. And if there was a rapid change in temperature due to asteroid impact debris, then burrowing wouldn't really help that much. The temperature would still be "off" outside the burrow and the reptiles wouldn't be able to survive indefinitely inside a burrow. So, I don't see "burrowing" as a valid claim to reptile survival after the impact. There must be something else at work here. How do we explain the survival of modern reptiles? I don't know, but burrowing doesn't really add up for me.

  36. Re:Extinction of the Dinosaurs, procreation of hum by pclminion · · Score: 1

    Humans probably wouldn't be here right now if not for the meteor that wiped out most predators on Earth. Primates probably wouldn't have had the opportunity to evolve....

    Things don't evolve "given the opportunity." They evolve because the environment kills off the ones who don't. Do you think the advanced intelligence of the primate brain is due to sitting around all day waiting for bananas to fall off trees?

    On the contrary, humans evolved in an environment absolutely chock-full of dangerous animals. We're talking saber-tooth cat, dire wolf, woolly mammoth, and of course all manner of lions, tigers, and bears, ALL larger and more terrifying than the ones we have today. If anything these dangers DROVE human evolution.

  37. Re:Extinction of the Dinosaurs, procreation of hum by BRUTICUS · · Score: 1

    of course somehow I still doubt humans would be here if dinosaurs weren't wiped out. In fact most of these giant mounds of flesh wouldn't have made it with so many predatory, carnivorousness dinosaurs running around.