Who doesn't know about the asteroid that killed dinosaurs? We've all pretty much grown up in the information that the otherworldly object was behind the extinction of the mighty lizards. But what if that wasn't completely true?

A new major study claims that dinosaurs were "already dying" back when they got wiped out by the giant asteroid.&nbsp;

When dinosaurs went extinct 66 million years ago, their range of species was already drastically shrinking, as per the study done on dinosaur eggs in China.

Watch |&nbsp;WION Climate Tracker | US drought uncovers dinosaur tracks | Unexploded bombs found in Po river

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According to Mirror UK, the study, which was conducted by the Chinese Academy of Sciences has been published in the scientific journal PNAS.&nbsp;

Using dinosaur eggs found in the country's Shanyang Basin it creates a two million-year chronology toward the end of the Cretaceous period, the last period during which dinosaurs were alive.

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The central Chinese basin yielded some 1,000 egg fossils, but upon closer examination, researchers discovered that just three species were actually alive at the time.

It means that the diversity in dinosaur species was ebbing during the Cretaceous period.

“Our results demonstrate low dinosaur biodiversity during the last two million years of the Cretaceous, and those data indicate a decline in dinosaur biodiversity millions of years before the Cretaceous/Paleogene boundary," wrote the authors.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-have-discovered-africas-oldest-dinosaur-named-mbiresaurus-raathi-in-zimbabwe-512201">Scientists have discovered Africa's oldest dinosaur named Mbiresaurus raathi in Zimbabwe</a>

This may imply that dinosaur populations were already in decline before they were wiped out by an asteroid.

It has been speculated that factors including climate change and volcanic eruptions may have led to the creatures' population collapse.

Events like the Deccan Traps eruption in present-day India would have also severely damaged the food supplies, which could have contributed to dinosaurs perishing.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Who doesn't know about the asteroid that killed dinosaurs? We've all pretty much grown up in the information that the otherworldly object was behind the extinction of the mighty lizards.

Who doesn't know about the asteroid that killed dinosaurs? We've all pretty much grown up in the information that the otherworldly object was behind the extinction of the mighty lizards. But what if that wasn't completely true? A new major study claims that dinosaurs were "already dying" back when they got wiped out by the giant asteroid. When dinosaurs went extinct 66 million years ago, their range of species was already drastically shrinking, as per the study done on dinosaur eggs in China. Watch | WION Climate Tracker | US drought uncovers dinosaur tracks | Unexploded bombs found in Po river According to Mirror UK, the study, which was conducted by the Chinese Academy of Sciences has been published in the scientific journal PNAS. Using dinosaur eggs found in the country's Shanyang Basin it creates a two million-year chronology toward the end of the Cretaceous period, the last period during which dinosaurs were alive. Also read | 'Home décor or scientific discovery': Experts express dismay as dinosaur skeleton goes up for sale The central Chinese basin yielded some 1,000 egg fossils, but upon closer examination, researchers discovered that just three species were actually alive at the time. It means that the diversity in dinosaur species was ebbing during the Cretaceous period. “Our results demonstrate low dinosaur biodiversity during the last two million years of the Cretaceous, and those data indicate a decline in dinosaur biodiversity millions of years before the Cretaceous/Paleogene boundary," wrote the authors. Also read | Scientists have discovered Africa's oldest dinosaur named Mbiresaurus raathi in Zimbabwe This may imply that dinosaur populations were already in decline before they were wiped out by an asteroid. It has been speculated that factors including climate change and volcanic eruptions may have led to the creatures' population collapse. Events like the Deccan Traps eruption in present-day India would have also severely damaged the food supplies, which could have contributed to dinosaurs perishing. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Was an asteroid the sole reason dinosaurs went extinct? New study claims they were already 'dying out'

A recent study conducted by the European aerospace company Airbus suggests that when an asteroid is hurtling toward our planets, we could deploy large TV broadcasting satellites to deflect the space rock.

The study is a part of the European Space Agency's efforts to prepare for a possible apocalyptic event, similar to the one that wiped out dinosaurs.&nbsp;

Conducted under the mission concept codenamed FastKD or Fast Kinetic Deflection, it envisions using telecommunications satellites in particular, as these are placed in a geostationary orbit. This means that they are placed in such a way that their position looks stationary, as these satellites circle the Earth at a speed that matches the planet's speed of rotation.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/stellar-explosion-helps-scientists-explain-13-billion-year-old-mystery-of-milky-ways-elements-397024" hreflang="en">Stellar explosion helps scientists explain 13-billion-year-old mystery of Milky Way's elements</a>

Usually very large, on average, these weigh around 4 to 6 tonnes. This weight would aid in giving the object in question enough force to affect the trajectory of space rock.&nbsp;

However, according to Albert Falke, the lead researcher of this study, it would take around 10 such satellites to sufficiently change the trajectory of 300 meters or 1,000-foot wide asteroid.&nbsp;

But what about a Dinosaur extinction-size Asteroid?

Falke is hesitant to say whether an asteroid could still be deflected using this method if it is more than 1,000 feet (300 meters) in diameter.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-resolve-mystery-of-why-otters-stay-warm-in-cold-surroundings-397003" hreflang="en">Scientists resolve mystery of why otters stay warm in cold surroundings</a>

Interestingly, the asteroid that led to the extinction of dinosaurs is believed to have been 9.6 kilometres or 6 miles in diameter.

Why telecommunication satellites?

This method does not require the invention and subsequent launch of a whole new device. Telecommunication satellites are available readily. In case astronomers were to detect an asteroid at a late stage, all that's required is to repurpose the satellites under construction and launch them within a short span of time.

The combined effort of multiple satellites could very well change the trajectory of the approaching object.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/winchcombe-meteorite-gets-official-classification-here-is-all-you-need-to-know-396877" hreflang="en">Winchcombe meteorite gets official classification, here is all you need to know</a>

Changing its trajectory by just a few inches may not totally avert a disaster, but it could nudge it off course, enough to avert a catastrophe if done well enough in advance of an expected impact.&nbsp;

For telecommunication satellites to be capable of executing an earth-saving mission in orbit, special equipment is needed to enable communication in deep space, along with navigation, and guidance required to reach the asteroid.

Modules for this project still need to be developed. The ideal situation would be to build and test these systems in advance of an emergency and have them ready.

That said, the human species definitely has an advantage over dinosaurs.&nbsp;

NASA is set to conduct a mission called DART next year. The experiment will be the first-ever asteroid deflection experiment.&nbsp;

A recent study conducted by the European aerospace company Airbus suggests that when an asteroid is hurtling toward our planets, we could deploy large TV broadcasting satellites to deflect the space rock.

A recent study conducted by the European aerospace company Airbus suggests that when an asteroid is hurtling toward our planets, we could deploy large TV broadcasting satellites to deflect the space rock. The study is a part of the European Space Agency's efforts to prepare for a possible apocalyptic event, similar to the one that wiped out dinosaurs. Conducted under the mission concept codenamed FastKD or Fast Kinetic Deflection, it envisions using telecommunications satellites in particular, as these are placed in a geostationary orbit. This means that they are placed in such a way that their position looks stationary, as these satellites circle the Earth at a speed that matches the planet's speed of rotation. Also read | Stellar explosion helps scientists explain 13-billion-year-old mystery of Milky Way's elements Usually very large, on average, these weigh around 4 to 6 tonnes. This weight would aid in giving the object in question enough force to affect the trajectory of space rock. However, according to Albert Falke, the lead researcher of this study, it would take around 10 such satellites to sufficiently change the trajectory of 300 meters or 1,000-foot wide asteroid. But what about a Dinosaur extinction-size Asteroid? Falke is hesitant to say whether an asteroid could still be deflected using this method if it is more than 1,000 feet (300 meters) in diameter. Also read | Scientists resolve mystery of why otters stay warm in cold surroundings Interestingly, the asteroid that led to the extinction of dinosaurs is believed to have been 9.6 kilometres or 6 miles in diameter. Why telecommunication satellites? This method does not require the invention and subsequent launch of a whole new device. Telecommunication satellites are available readily. In case astronomers were to detect an asteroid at a late stage, all that's required is to repurpose the satellites under construction and launch them within a short span of time. The combined effort of multiple satellites could very well change the trajectory of the approaching object. Also read | Winchcombe meteorite gets official classification, here is all you need to know Changing its trajectory by just a few inches may not totally avert a disaster, but it could nudge it off course, enough to avert a catastrophe if done well enough in advance of an expected impact. For telecommunication satellites to be capable of executing an earth-saving mission in orbit, special equipment is needed to enable communication in deep space, along with navigation, and guidance required to reach the asteroid. Modules for this project still need to be developed. The ideal situation would be to build and test these systems in advance of an emergency and have them ready. That said, the human species definitely has an advantage over dinosaurs. NASA is set to conduct a mission called DART next year. The experiment will be the first-ever asteroid deflection experiment.

Defending Earth: Repurposing telecommunication satellites to protect Earth from asteroid collision

Absurdist-in-chief and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has struck again! Known for using Twitter to push out uncanny takes, Musk has now inspired confusion among many.

In pure-Musk style, no one could decipher the tone of the Tweet wherein Musk suggested that dinosaurs wouldn’t have perished millions of years ago if they had access to spaceships.

Was he being sarcastic or is this a belief clutched close to his heart? We’ll never know. But we do know that the tech billionaire believes spaceship development could prevent future mass extinction events from causing massive population erasures.

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If only they had spaceships, they’d still be around
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1397625923256549376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Musk’s Tweet was in response to a meme about dinosaurs which he had himself shared. Twitterati were quick to respond - staying true to the ambivalent tone. One user wondered whether&nbsp;some dinosaurs actually left Earth on spaceships, saying “Maybe the opposite. They had spaceships &amp; left :)”.

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Maybe the opposite. They had spaceships &amp; left :)
— Mike McCulloch (@memcculloch) <a href="https://twitter.com/memcculloch/status/1397628071633690627?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Another user wondered how the creatures would operate the spaceship.

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But how would they fly it?
— David Gokhshtein (@davidgokhshtein) <a href="https://twitter.com/davidgokhshtein/status/1397645626201055236?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Scientists blame the extinction of dinosaurs on an asteroid collision, but have never explored what would have happened had the creatures developed spaceships to escape the planet.

Even then, new research continues to shed light on varying factors that caused the extinction of dinosaurs. Earlier this year, experts found that volcanic activities may have played a considerable role in the extinction process. 
 
Published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a research claimed that harmful gases released from a volcano in India may have considerably contribution to mass extinction of dinosaurs.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/technology/eyeing-mars-elon-musk-wants-humans-to-be-multi-planet-species-379777" hreflang="en">Eyeing Mars, Elon Musk wants humans to be 'multi-planet species'</a>

Regardless, Musk is Twitter famous for such hot takes. The space enthusiast recently suggested establishing permanent colonies on different planets, starting with Mars.&nbsp;

“We don’t want to be one of those single planet species, we want to be a multi-planet species,” Musk said in April&nbsp;after the launch of SpaceX’s “Crew-2” mission. Musk added how it had been almost 50 years since human beings set foot on the moon. “That’s too long”, he said.

Absurdist-in-chief and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has struck again! Known for using Twitter to push out uncanny takes, Musk has now inspired confusion among many. In pure-Musk style, no one could decipher the tone of the Tweet wherein Musk suggested that dinosaurs wouldn’t have perished millions of years ago if they had access to spaceships.

Absurdist-in-chief and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has struck again! Known for using Twitter to push out uncanny takes, Musk has now inspired confusion among many. In pure-Musk style, no one could decipher the tone of the Tweet wherein Musk suggested that dinosaurs wouldn’t have perished millions of years ago if they had access to spaceships. Was he being sarcastic or is this a belief clutched close to his heart? We’ll never know. But we do know that the tech billionaire believes spaceship development could prevent future mass extinction events from causing massive population erasures. If only they had spaceships, they’d still be around — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 26, 2021 × Musk’s Tweet was in response to a meme about dinosaurs which he had himself shared. Twitterati were quick to respond - staying true to the ambivalent tone. One user wondered whether some dinosaurs actually left Earth on spaceships, saying “Maybe the opposite. They had spaceships & left :)”. Maybe the opposite. They had spaceships & left :) — Mike McCulloch (@memcculloch) May 26, 2021 × Another user wondered how the creatures would operate the spaceship. But how would they fly it? — David Gokhshtein (@davidgokhshtein) May 26, 2021 × Scientists blame the extinction of dinosaurs on an asteroid collision, but have never explored what would have happened had the creatures developed spaceships to escape the planet. Even then, new research continues to shed light on varying factors that caused the extinction of dinosaurs. Earlier this year, experts found that volcanic activities may have played a considerable role in the extinction process. Published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a research claimed that harmful gases released from a volcano in India may have considerably contribution to mass extinction of dinosaurs. Also read: Eyeing Mars, Elon Musk wants humans to be 'multi-planet species' Regardless, Musk is Twitter famous for such hot takes. The space enthusiast recently suggested establishing permanent colonies on different planets, starting with Mars. “We don’t want to be one of those single planet species, we want to be a multi-planet species,” Musk said in April after the launch of SpaceX’s “Crew-2” mission. Musk added how it had been almost 50 years since human beings set foot on the moon. “That’s too long”, he said.

Would dinosaurs be alive if they had spaceships? Tech mogul Elon Musk believes so