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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment

Could humans have survived in the company of the dinosaurs?

What if dinosaurs had survived the devastating asteroid crash?
What if dinosaurs had survived the devastating asteroid crash? Photograph: Mark Garlick/Getty Images/Science Photo Library RM

New research suggests that if the asteroid that helped to wipe out the dinosaur population had hit an area of sea, the chances are that a large number of dinosaurs would have survived. Massive tidal waves would have swept large swathes of the land mass, maybe as far inland as 400-500 miles. But those living inland beyond that would probably have survived for tens of millions of years after. We still have some of their ancestors on the planet: alligators, crocodiles and birds are descendants of the dinosaur. Sharks were around in the dinosaur era, and have evolved as humanity has over the million years that we have been populating the planet. So could we have lived alongside the larger beasts? Hollywood would have us believe we could, but I doubt it.

Paul Tinker

• Post your answers – and new questions – below or email them to nq@theguardian.com

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