HomeNewsForumA‑ZStoriesImagesColumns

Palaeontology

Did egg-laying cause dinosaur extinction ?

By T.K. Randall
April 19, 2012 · Comment icon

16 comments

Image Credit: Gerhard Boeggemann

Scientists have suggested that egg-laying may have been a factor in the extinction of the dinosaurs.

Scientists including University of Zurich's Marcus Clauss believe that a key factor was the limitation egg-laying imposed on the size of the infants upon birth, the young dinosaurs were forced to compete with adults of smaller species for food as they grew up. "That was not a problem for 150 million years but as soon as something happens that takes away all the large species so that only small species remain, if there are no small species to remain you are gone as a whole group," said Clauss.

Given physical limitations to egg size, dinosaurs had comparatively small young. Some came out of the egg weighing as little as two to 10 kilograms, yet had to bulk up to a hefty 30 or 50 tonnes.

Source: Telegraph | Comments (16)

Tags:

Recent comments on this story

#7 Posted by Lady Llayne 13 years ago

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/dinosaurs/9182732/Weird-and-wonderful-dinosaur-theories-of-recent-times.html

#8 Posted by tailormaneinafog 13 years ago

I like it. It fits with my own ideas perfectly.

#9 Posted by Conrad Clough 13 years ago

Whats so hard to understand about this concept? How about: the fact that the dinosaurs, large and small were successful for ~180 million years with out going extinct, and during all that time they were egg layers. the fact that this 'theory' doesn't address the other extinctions that happened at the same time such as mass microbe and marine invertabrate extinctions, the extinction most of the marine reptiles (which while also egg layers would likely not have faced the same environmental pressures given the vastness of the oceans), and a general decline in diversity of fish and insects. the fac... [More]

#10 Posted by Englishgent 13 years ago

How about: the fact that the dinosaurs, large and small were successful for ~180 million years with out going extinct, and during all that time they were egg layers. the fact that this 'theory' doesn't address the other extinctions that happened at the same time such as mass microbe and marine invertabrate extinctions, the extinction most of the marine reptiles (which while also egg layers would likely not have faced the same environmental pressures given the vastness of the oceans), and a general decline in diversity of fish and insects. the fact that there are still egg laying creatures on e... [More]

#11 Posted by Englishgent 13 years ago

I like it. It fits with my own ideas perfectly. Oh well, something you can now add to your latest theories. Keep them coming

#12 Posted by Hilander 13 years ago

I have a hard time believing that.

#13 Posted by catfishyeah 13 years ago

Dinosaurs aren't extinct, they live under the ocean.

#14 Posted by Erudite Celt 13 years ago

The only problem with the theory is that the overwhelming majority of dinosaurs were smaller than a modern sheep. The other anomaly I find with these theories is that reptiles and mammals don't usually compete for the same resources. So why should one out-compete the other?

#15 Posted by Paracelse 13 years ago

Last week dino extincted because they farted too much, now it's because they egged too much what will it be next time? They all became vegans and overgrazed the planet?

#16 Posted by Conrad Clough 13 years ago

The fact is Dinosaurs are not extinct at all, I can hear one singing outside my window as I type this.

Click here to view all 16 comments on this story

Please Login or Register to post a comment.

Our new book is out now!

The Unexplained Mysteries
Book of Weird News

AVAILABLE NOW

Take a walk on the weird side with this compilation of some of the weirdest stories ever to grace the pages of a newspaper.

Click here to learn more

We need your help!

Support us on Patreon

BONUS CONTENT

For less than the cost of a cup of coffee, you can gain access to a wide range of exclusive perks including our popular 'Lost Ghost Stories' series.

Click here to learn more

On the forum

Spirituality, Religion and Beliefs

Literal Hellfire Torment--Not a Bible Te...

Scary, weird, but more ‘biblically acc...

Interview with Gregg Braden

What Happens When We Die?

United States and the Americas

The terrifying scandal is that Biden was...

Trump threatens to take control of the P...

Bezos and Lauren Sánchez to marry this ...

Photographs reveal first glimpse of unco...

Israel, Palestine and the Middle-East

Syrian Christians

Iran plagued by energy crisis partially ...

Two US Navy pilots shot down over Red Se...

'What’s our fate, our brothers?': Syri...

Stories, Sightings & Experiences

Canadian in a past life?

Dream scents/Fragrances

I screwed up big

Did I see a sasquatch child?

Total Posts: 7,730,790 Topics: 322,706 Members: 202,833

Not a member yet ? Click here to join - registration is free and only takes a moment!

	1.	Extraterrestrial
	2.	Electronic Voice Phenomenon
	3.	Ghost
	4.	Pareidolia
	5.	Phoenix Lights
	6.	Spirit Photography (Classic)
	7.	Paranormal
	8.	Roswell Incident
	9.	Orb
	10.	Storm Area 51

Did egg-laying cause dinosaur extinction ?

The Unexplained Mysteries
Book of Weird News

Support us on Patreon

Alleged 'Bigfoot' photographed in canyon near Ganado, Arizona

New documentary to examine UFO cases from the aliens' perspective

Veteran Nessie hunter offers his own views on the Loch Ness Monster

Resurfaced 1999 interview hints at 2025 disclosure of Area 51's secrets

From Saint Nicholas to Kris Kringle: the many names of Santa Claus

'MrBeast' to spend 100 hours hunting for ghosts inside Giza's pyramids