Or (somewhat alternately): birds were sufficiently derived (in some way) to
survive the KT extinction. This is whether a bolide was the cause or just a
contributor. Some evolutionary adaptation that was present in Cretaceous
birds, but not present in Cretaceous non-avian dinosaurs gave birds an edge
(in this case).
Dwight
-----Original Message-----
From: Dinogeorge@aol.com [SMTP:Dinogeorge@aol.com]
Sent: Thursday, January 21, 1999 4:06 PM
To: Alien4240@aol.com; dinosaur@usc.edu
Subject: Re: Dinosaurs to birds
In a message dated 1/21/99 4:48:33 PM EST, Alien4240@AOL.COM writes:
<< I have a question which is probably elementary, but if all the
dinosaurs
died
when a comet (or asteroid) hit the earth, then how did they evolve
into
birds? >>
Birds had already evolved before the asteroid impact; the impact
destroyed the
dinosaurs and certain other life forms but didn't wipe out the birds
completely. They're all that's left of the dinosaurs.