Dinosaurs Farted Themselves Into Extinction, Scientists Say

[Brother_Bliss]

Mighty steps forward in computational power and computer-rendering ability allowed Discovery's artists to depict dinosaurs as never before, letting viewers see realistic skin and views deep inside their bodies, for the series "Clash of the Dinosaurs." (Discovery Channel)

Dinosaurs 'gassed' themselves into extinction, British scientists say

Published May 07, 2012 | NewsCore

LONDON – Dinosaurs may have farted themselves to extinction, according to a new study from British scientists.

The researchers calculated that the prehistoric beasts pumped out more than 520 million tons (472 million tonnes) of methane a year -- enough to warm the planet and hasten their own eventual demise.

Until now, an asteroid strike and volcanic activity around 65 million years ago had seemed the most likely cause of their extinction.

Giant plant-eating sauropods were fingered as the key culprits in the study, which appears in the latest edition of the journal Current Biology. An average argentinosaurus, weighing around 90 tons (82 tonnes) and measuring 140 feet (42m), chomped its way through half a ton (half a tonne) of ferns a day, producing clouds of methane as the food broke down in its gut.

Professor Graeme Ruxton from St. Andrews University in Scotland and co-researcher David Wilkinson, from Liverpool John Moores University, worked out just how much of the greenhouse gas the billions of dinosaurs would have generated during the Mesozoic era, starting 250 million years ago.

"A simple mathematical model suggests that the microbes living in sauropod dinosaurs may have produced enough methane to have an important effect on the Mesozoic climate," Wilkinson said. "In fact, our calculations suggest these dinosaurs may have produced more methane than all the modern sources, natural and human, put together."

The dinosaur output of 520 million tons (472 million tonnes) is comparable to current natural and man-made emissions of the greenhouse gas, which scientists say is around 21 times more powerful than CO2 at trapping heat on Earth and causing climate change. Cows and other farm animals globally contribute up to 100 million tons (90 million tonnes) a year of methane.

Article Source: FoxNews.com

[Hallett 82]

Man kind is headed the same way today. Too funny.

[ava]

I really don't know how to respond to this.

Evolutionists, athiests, scientists all poo poo our belief in creation, then they claim this stuff?

Seriously?

I am speechless. Thinking about sending this link to my athiest/evolutionist nephew and see what he has to say. He is so much more intelligent on scientific matters then me, his claims, lol. I'm curious what his response would be.

[LeslieDean]

Dear sister Ava

You obviously did not ever meet my paternal grandfather! I think that would have been listed as his cause of death. I remember as a we'd one when they would visist he had this "flatulence" problem. I remember my grandmother saying 'you are killing me' pretty crass but true. Thanks for the 45 year old memory!

[Brother_Bliss]

Evolutionists, athiests, scientists all poo poo our belief in creation, then they claim this stuff?

Seriously?

lol!

Buy them books, send them to school for a "higher education", and what do they do? Eat the pages.

[ava]

Evolutionists, athiests, scientists all poo poo our belief in creation, then they claim this stuff?

Seriously?

lol!

Buy them books, send them to school for a "higher education", and what do they do? Eat the pages.

Lol, I am still in shock over this, I just can't get over it.

I am sure Dinosaurs farted, and I am sure that created alot of gas, but to suggest they gassed themselves into extinction, I'm sorry, that is the dumbest theory I have ever heard in my life! It's crazy. And yet these same people call creationists crazy, lol.

I just can't figure it out.

[lavritt]

Those pre-historic bean pods must have been really potent, huh!?

[Blueyedchanel]

Haha! My father sent me this article yesterday, made me lol.

[Willow]

I vote your title of this article as "Title of the Year", Bob!!! PRICELESS! (I can't stop laughing!!!)

[Brother_Bliss]

I vote your title of this article as "Title of the Year", Bob!!! PRICELESS! (I can't stop laughing!!!)

The T-Rex in the picture above actually lost this battle as he got a mouthful of poisonous gasses.

[trottigy]

We have to stop all these animals from farting before it is too late!!!!

[rocket]

I have to admit that I come in a close second to the Dino. When I was a kid, mom always said I needed a muffler and that was long before the catalytic converters.

[Brother_Bliss]

[trottigy]

That's great - I had to watch them ALL!!!!

[Willow]

Stinkin' hilarious!

This discussion reminds me of what a comedian once said - "If god had intended us to fart, he should have given us chimneys..."

[retroHelen]

[Greenfield]

We have to stop all these animals from farting before it is too late!!!!

Oh, sorry.

[Hallett 82]

We have to stop all these animals from farting before it is too late!!!!

Armageddon is coming! . . forget the people . . . new task to be done . . we gotta plug the cows!!! . .