https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBSe3TYXS9U
How much time passed between the extinction of the dinosaurs and the emergence of humans?
The gap of approximately 65 million years between the extinction of the dinosaurs and the emergence of humans represents an extraordinary expanse of time, filled with dynamic changes and evolutionary developments that have profoundly shaped our planet’s history.
The dinosaurs, which had dominated the Earth for about 165 million years, met their dramatic end around 65 million years ago during the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) extinction event. This catastrophic event, likely triggered by a massive asteroid impact in what is now the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, resulted in the extinction of about 75% of all species, including all non-avian dinosaurs. The aftermath of this impact caused drastic climate changes, including a “nuclear winter” scenario where sunlight was significantly blocked by dust and debris, leading to a dramatic drop in temperatures and the collapse of ecosystems that many species depended on.
In the wake of the dinosaurs’ extinction, a new era began: the Cenozoic Era, often referred to as the “Age of Mammals.” With the dominant dinosaurs gone, mammals, which had previously been small and mostly nocturnal, started to diversify and occupy various ecological niches. This period saw the evolution of many new species and the gradual rise of larger mammals.
During the Paleocene and Eocene epochs, the Earth experienced significant warming, which led to lush, tropical forests spreading across many parts of the globe. This warm climate fostered the evolution of early mammals, including the ancestors of modern-day primates. By the Oligocene epoch, roughly 34 million years ago, the climate began to cool, leading to the expansion of grasslands and the development of new mammalian species adapted to these environments.