Photo: Did the Rise of Germs Wipe Out the Dinosaurs?



Studies of bloodsucking insects that lived alongside the dinosaurs—such as this ancient tick found in amber from Myanmar (Burma)—suggest that many infectious diseases were emerging just before the dinos died out, about 65 million years ago.

Without immunity to the new illnesses, dino populations might have been weakened and unable to survive cataclysmic events such as sudden climate change or an asteroid impact, argue the authors of a new book.

Photograph courtesy Oregon State University


EMAIL NEWSLETTER Photos and News of the Week

Get the top photos and news of the week from National Geographic News, plus occasional breaking-news alerts.

See Sample >>
Please enter a valid email address
Privacy Policy
NEWS FEEDS    After installing a news reader, click on this icon to download National Geographic News's XML/RSS feed. After installing a news reader, click on this icon to download National Geographic News's XML/RSS feed.

Get our news delivered directly to your desktop—free.
How to Use XML or RSS

ADVERTISEMENT

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC'S PHOTO OF THE DAY

Photo and Headline Widget

Put our latest news and photos on your Web page or desktop—automatically updates! See Sample