Environment

Extinct and Endangered Plants and Animals

Did dinosaurs and humans ever coexist?

When was the term “dinosaur” first used?

The term “dinosaur” was first used by Richard Owen (1804–1892) in 1841 in his report on British fossil reptiles. The term, meaning “fearful lizard” was used to describe the group of large extinct reptiles whose fossil remains had been found by many collectors.

What is the name of the early Jurassic mammal that is now extinct?

The fossil site of the mammal Hadrocodium wui was in Yunnan Province, China. This newly described mammal is at least 195 million years old. The estimated weight of the whole mammal is about 0.07 ounces (2 grams). Its tiny skull was smaller than a human thumbnail.

No. Dinosaurs first appeared in the Triassic Period (about 220 million years ago) and disappeared at the end of the Cretaceous Period (about 65 million years ago). Modern humans (Homo sapiens) appeared only about 25,000 years ago. Movies that show humans and dinosaurs existing together are only Hollywood fantasies.



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