Exploring the Cretaceous Period: A Journey into the Age of Dinosaurs
As featured in "Just One Damned Thing After Another" by Jodi Taylor
Max from St Mary’s Institute of Historical Research is sent back in time to the Cretaceous Period in “Just One Damned Thing After Another” - Book 1 in The Chronicles of St Mary’s series by Jodi Taylor.
In this History Briefing, we explore the Cretaceous Period and what Max would have encountered there.
The Cretaceous Period, spanning from approximately 145 to 66 million years ago, was a pivotal era in Earth's history characterized by dramatic geological and biological changes. From the dominance of dinosaurs to the emergence of flowering plants and modern ecosystems, the Cretaceous Period left an indelible mark on the planet's evolutionary trajectory, shaping the world we inhabit today.
During the Cretaceous Period, Earth's continents were arranged in two vast supercontinents – Gondwana and Laurasia – which gradually broke apart, eventually, over millions of years, forming the continents of today. The climate was generally warmer and more humid than in previous epochs, with higher global temperatures and elevated sea levels contributing to widespread shallow seas and extensive coastal plains.
This period witnessed the peak of dinosaur diversity, with a remarkable array of species occupying terrestrial, marine, and avian ecosystems. Iconic dinosaurs such as Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops, and Velociraptor roamed the land, while enormous marine reptiles like Mosasaurus and Plesiosaurus ruled the seas. Flying reptiles known as pterosaurs soared through the skies, while early mammals scurried beneath the feet of their giant reptilian counterparts and tried to avoid being trodden on. Or eaten..
In addition to dinosaurs, the Cretaceous saw the rise of flowering plants (angiosperms), which rapidly diversified and spread across the landscape. These new plant species played a crucial role in shaping terrestrial ecosystems, providing food and shelter for a wide variety of animals and influencing the evolution of herbivorous dinosaurs and insects.
The end of the Cretaceous Period was marked by one of Earth's most famous mass extinction events, known as the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) extinction event. Approximately 66 million years ago, a catastrophic event, likely the impact of a large asteroid or comet, triggered widespread devastation such as violent earthquakes and massive volcanic activity which in turn led to a nuclear winter. The few remaining plants and animals that had survived the asteroid impact went extinct. Ironically, it was the small mammals who were able to burrow underground that stood the best chance of survival.
The aftermath of the K-Pg extinction event reshaped Earth's ecosystems, eventually paving the way for the rise of mammals, birds, and flowering plants that would come to dominate the planet. While the extinction of the dinosaurs was a profound loss, it also opened up new ecological niches – especially for the mammals – and opportunities for the evolution and diversification of life on Earth.
Our understanding of the Cretaceous Period has been greatly enhanced by the efforts of palaeontologists, geologists, and other scientists who have meticulously studied fossils, rock formations, and other geological evidence from this era. Discoveries such as the fossils of feathered dinosaurs and early flowering plants have provided valuable insights into the dynamic and ever-changing evolutionary processes that shaped life during the Cretaceous Period and beyond.
Why not read about how Max and her colleagues from St Mary’s get on when they jump back to the Cretaceous Period and find themselves in deadly danger?
Just One Damned Thing After Another is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook formats.
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