Elijah Enenche Peter,
I have often asked myself, do dinosaurs exist? If yes, since science have proven that those giant creatures sure did roam our planet several million years ago. Evidence from fossils remnants has proven so.
Dinosaurs are group of reptiles of the clade Dinosauria that lived during the Trassic period around 245-233.7 million years ago. Dinosaurs are further categorized into Avian and Non-avian. Avian dinosaurs evolved from their flightless non-avian ancestors. Most dinosaurs are bipedal (two legged), others are quadrupedal (four legged). Non-avian dinosaurs are known for their gigantic size, most especially Sauropods which stood at 39.7 m (130 ft) and height of over 18 metres (59 ft) tall. Some of these monstrous terrestrial animals are typically large, others are quite small to a size of a turkey. And likewise, despite their terrifying looks, not all dinosaurs enjoys feasting on flesh, some are quite herbivorous.
The cause of those monsters' extinction remains a topic of debate. Several scientific theories tries to explain the cause of Dinosaurs catastrophic demise, but this quite seems not to hold water for students whom try to mix faith and science. Despite the many theories about non-avian dinosaurs extinction, the scuffle is between the two most popular theories; Volcanism or Deccan Trap and The Asteroid Impact.
The Scientific Side of the Story of Dinosaurs Extinction: The Deccan Traps vs The Asteroid Impacts
Source: Stock.adobe.com (Volcanic eruption/dinosaur).
The Deccan Traps, according to some scientists, was a catastrophic volcanic eruptions 66 million years ago. Lava measuring in several million cubic escaped to the earth surface releasing climate-altering chemicals such as, Carbon-dioxide and sulfur, thus terminating millions of species lives during the Crusteceous period including the non-avian Dinosaurs.
Brenhin Keller, an Assistant Professor of Earth Science at Dartmouth University, in a statement disclose that: "Our results makes it hard to ignore the role of volcanism in extinction." similarly, Keller and his team posited to have found evidence of this violent and destructive volcanic activity recorded in the Siberian Trap, almost the size of Australia.
According to an article published on PBS, "the immense lava flows covers nearly 200,000 square miles of the Deccan region of today's India, reaching the depths of more 6,500 ft in place." Furthermore, Michael Greshko suggests that, "the Deccan traps were incomprehensibly huge by modern standards, expelling some 135,000 cubic miles of lava over a million years period." he continued, "that's enough lava to circle earth with a rocky belt more than five miles wide and a mile tall."
However, permit me to construe the idea of Deccan theory, since the advent of human civilization, including improved human technologies, there has never been an aberrance in the history of volcanic activity that would cover a whole continent or change the temperature of the whole globe to an extent of causing the deaths of dinosaurs. Data from United State Geologic Survey [USGS], shows that there has never been a volcanic activity such as exaggerated by the Deccan theory. Further data from [USGS], shows that, the most devastating volcanic activity occured in Tambora, Indonesia in 1815 with 92,000 casualties. Similarly, The University of Oregon, ranked the volcanic eruption of Tambora, Indonesia as the deadliest with 92,000 deaths.
On the other hand, the latter theory, known as the Asteroid Impact was developed by L. W Alverez along with his geologist son, Walter, in 1980. This theory posits that a large asteroid or meteorite hits the earth surface which its impact caused a massive catastrophic devastation that wiped out 80% of lives, including that of the non-avian dinosaurs.
Evidence shows that this colossus celestial rock landed in Yucatan peninsula, at Chicxulub, Mexico. Many scientists, geologists, and paleontologists throw their weight in support of this theory than the former.
Similarly, Robert Macfarlane in his lengthy post on Facebook, stated that: "in March 2010, an international panel of scientists endorsed the asteroid hypothesis, specifically the Chicxulub impact, as being the cause of extinction."
Also, a group of 41 scientists boldly declared that: "yes, indeed, a massive asteroid slammed into the earth, creating Chicxulub crater on Mexico's gulf coast that killed off many of the species on the planet, including the non-avian dinosaurs.
Further investigation by a researcher named Paul, posited that, asteroid is thought to have been between 10 to 15 kilometers wide, but the velocity of its collision caused the creation of much larger crater, 150 kilometers in diameter.
Source: stock.adobe.com (16 July, 2023).
Academic Communism Broadcast [ACB], on the 25th of April, 2021, posted a video on their Facebook page, titled; Prehistory 101: Dinosaurs. In the video, the narrator alleged that: "when the continent are still joined together. This period is known as PANGAEA over 250 million years ago. 100 years later the continent splits into two known as Laurasia and Gondwana and all the non-avian dinosaurs seperated for the very first time."
Note that, as at when the continent was still joined together as narrated by [ACB], the asteroid has not slammed the earth yet, because the narrator further said, "100 million years later, after the continent splits into two, the non-avian dinosaurs were seperated for the first time." Now my question is that, how did all the dinosaurs got killed by those falling celestial rocks even when they're not all in a single location? According to several studies, thousands of dinosaurs roamed the earth. Even if it's the impact that caused the death of dinosaurs, how did the impact in Yucatan travels down to kill the other dinosaurs in the other disjointed continent? How often do we even experience asteroids falling from the space? Since I gain consciousness of myself, I've not witness any.
Another problem with all the scientific theories lies in the fact that they are in constant disputes. There are factions of scientists which favors the theory of massive volcanism, and others opted for asteroid impacts. This issues can be evidently seen in Robert Macfarlane's post on facebook, which states that, "a team of 41 scientists reviewed 20years of scientific literature and in so doing also ruled out the other theories such as massive Volcanism."
To be honest, since science is based on empirical and factual findings, I think science might have just shot herself on the leg.
Dinosaurs Exist and Exit: Religion Side of the Story
Religion on the other hand, differs from science, from its methodology and approach. Since science is based on empirical evidence, religion buttress its core around morals and faith. Even though religion believes that there is a higher power (Divinity) who detects and controls everything including science, Science on the other side, refutes this claim. According to science, religion is just another dogmatic and tenetic myth that has enslave the minds of many. From the above points, one can easily pinpoint why faith and science are always on a loggerhead. Although, there are thousands of Religions, but for the sake of this argument, I'm going to draw references from the Abrahamic Religious books citing: The Book of Enoch, The Torah, and The Bible.
Religion has proven to be trustworthy in terms of accuracy about historical events, most archeologists attest to the fact that, what they read from the Torah, Quran, Bible, and other religious scrolls, has led them to incredible discoveries. A clear cut example would be that of Flavius Josephus whose writings helped Ehud Netzer to locate the tomb of Herod after 30years of searching.
'The Great Water of Deluge is behind Dinosaurs Extinction'
Source: stock.adobe.com (16 July, 2023).
In biblical stories and the other scrolls, such as: The Book of Enoch, The Noahic Scroll, and The Torah, are all in unison about "The Great Water of Deluge or The Noah's Flood." Thousands of years ago, when men and animals alike became vile, evil, and perverted, God deem it necessary to erase all living things [see: Genesis 6:1-7]. This includes Dinosaurs.
From the above statement, it is possible that dinosaurs were left out of the ark and subsequently submerged in the great water of deluge. Note that, in those days both man and animals alike became blood thirsty. Ab initio, humans and animals alike do not eat flesh. most religious scholars and commentators agrees that animals before the water of deluge were non-carnivorous. For instance, there's no enmity between Lions and humans, nor Lions with another animals. But as the children of the fallen angels also known as Nephilims multiplies, evil spread; men and animals began to hunt, kill and hurt themselves. [ See: BoE Ch 7: 5-6]: "They began to devour one another’s flesh and drink the blood, then the earth laid accusation against the lawless ones". With this great evil, God commanded Noah to pick seven [7] pairs of every ritually clean animals (animals fit for sacrifice) and only two [2] pairs of unclean animals. Unfortunately, Dinosaurs falls into this category of the 'unclean animals'. This possibly mean, Dinosaurs and other large beasts could have been left out of the ark.
In other case, after the flood, most animal species could've gradually died out because of the change in temperature and toxicity in the environment. Since water burst from within the earth crust, several toxic chemicals such as sulfur might have killed the animals that were left to drown.
Similarly, from the Noahic scroll also known as the dead sea scroll, "Enoch saw ‘great beasts’ or what we now call Dinosaurs and a vast array of bird life. Some of the larger beasts that now live in the oceans once roamed the earth but after the flood, they could no longer live on land, as we will read later in Enoch’s book. Athough many hundreds of species of animals and birds were rescued in the Ark, they became extinct after the flood because the earth changed too much for them to survive."
Where's Dinosaurs Mentioned in Religious Scrolls?
Although, the name dinosaurs was not mentioned in the Bible, Torah, or any of the scrolls. But from most descriptions, most especially the Bible, it is believed to be what is now called Dinosaurs.
In BoE chapter 60:7, Enoch wrote about some monsters called LEVIATHANS and BEHEMOTH. Also, the same name appears in the book of Job, this time God himself gave some descriptions about these monsters. [See: Job 40:15-24], "look at the monster BEHEMOTH: he eats grass like a cow. But what strength in his body and what power there is in his muscle. His tail stands up like a cedar, his bones are as strong as bronze and his legs are like like iron bars. The most amazing of my creatures! Only his creator can defeat him." In verse 23-24, "He is not afraid of a rushing river; he's calm when the jordan dashes in his face. finally, who can blind his eyes and capture him? Or who can catch his about in a trap."
God continued, this time about LEVIATHAN, see also [Job 41:9-34], "Anyone who see Leviathan loses courage and falls to the ground. In verse 12, God described this beast to Job. "The skin is extremely strong, nothing could pierce his body and his jaws ring with teeth, his back is made of rows of shield fastened together and hard as stone. And there's not a weak spot in his skin." So many Bible scholars and commentators believe these monsters to be what is now known as DINOSAURS.
The name Leviathan and Behemoth appeared in Isaiah 27:1, Psalm 12-19, 104: 26, Job 3:8, 40: 15-24, 41: 1-34, Rev 13:1. Although, some bible scholars associated Leviathan to Whales, but see [Job 41:12-13], "Let me tell you about Leviathan's LEGS and describe how great and strong he is. [13] No one can tear off his outer coat (tough dinosaurian skin) or pierce the armour he wears." from God's description of this beast, its evidently not Whales; because Whales don't have legs. However, some school of scholars, maintained that it's a specie of Dinosaurs who were amphibians.
The massively armored Stegosaurus Kentrosaurus (Vladimir Nikolov).
The demise of these creatures is still open to debate. But lately, most students are confused on which side to pick. Gradually, this generation is losing interest in the topic. Since these scientific theories are in an unending debates, and religion on the other hand is not saying much, the younger generation are beginning to care less about the extinction of Dinosaurs.
Recently, I took a survey on my social media accounts (Facebook and WhatsApp), out of the 20 samples, almost 90% believes Dinosaurs exist with scientific reference to fossils findings; Whereby a meagre 9% disagreed with the scientific view, in regards to their faith. And 1% remain undecided. But when asked what could possibly caused their extinctions, the respondents all responded with "I don't know." But If the ancient scrolls, the Torah, and the Bible which was written before human sophistication in data gathering, could describe catastrophic events such as the Noah's flood, and also, gives us the mental picture of large beasts such as Dinosaurs, I think we can only agree that the flood of Noah is the only intrinsic devastating event that could be ascribe to the reason for Dinosaurs extinctions. So therefore, science must bury the hatchet and give religion the duly deserved credit for given a clue on the topic of how Dinosaurs were wiped off the earth surface.
Thank you for reading through.
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