New Dinosaur Found; Shows How Giants Got That Way

National Geographic News ^ | November 11, 2009 | Christine Dell'Amore

[SunkenCiv]

A new dinosaur found in South Africa has given scientists a glimpse into the evolution of sauropods, the biggest animals ever to have walked the Earth, a new study says. The newfound, 20-foot-long (7-meter-long) dinosaur species is a close cousin to the common ancestor of all sauropods -- gigantic, four-legged, long-necked, big-bellied plant-eaters. Dubbed Aardonyx celestae, the 195-million-year-old dinosaur had a lot of sauropod-like features, such as a robust skeleton for holding up its heft. (See extreme dinosaur pictures.) Unlike sauropods, though, the newfound species walked on two legs and only dropped down on all fours, the new research shows. This means that walking on all fours started earlier in sauropod ancestors than previously thought, researchers say.

[Non-Sequitur]

Yes, of course. I was just thinking, if they were put on the ark in their eggs or as very young, and survived the flood, they may have not been able to survive the drastic change in climate.

What drastic changes might those be?

[Marie2]

“What drastic changes might those be? “

Rain, for one.

Prior to the flood, the earth was watered by water bubbling up from the caverns of the deep. Also, there was some sort of water canopy in the heavens. This is how the ecosystem is described in Genesis, before the flood of Noah.

I don’t know what all the ramifications of this are. I understand it was hotter, more humid before the flood. Probably a whole lot of other differences as well.

[IronKros]