🦕 Where did dinosaurs come from?
This week, I’m going big—let’s talk dinosaurs!
The origin of dinosaurs—when and where exactly they first appeared—remains a mystery that not even another Jurassic Park reboot can solve. Scientists once believed dinosaurs originated in southern South America and southern Africa, but regions like the Sahara and Amazon may offer new clues to their true beginnings.
According to University College London and the Natural History Museum researchers, dinosaurs likely emerged during the Triassic Period (245–230 million years ago) in the low-latitude regions of Gondwana, the ancient southern supercontinent. Now part of northern South America and northern Africa, these areas were hot, arid landscapes with deserts, savannahs, and seasonal wildfires—once thought too harsh for early dinosaurs.
Need a refresher on plate tectonics? Watch this fascinating video:
The oldest-known dinosaur fossils date to around 230 million years ago. These species had all the right dino features, but their differences suggest the family tree goes back further than we can currently trace. The earliest chapters are likely buried in places like the Amazon and Sahara, where fossils are scarce or still waiting to be found.
“So far, no dinosaur fossils have been found in the regions of Africa and South America that once formed this part of Gondwana. However, this might be because researchers haven’t stumbled across the right rocks yet, due to a mix of inaccessibility and a relative lack of research efforts in these areas,” said Joel Heath of UCL.
Dinosaurs evolved after the Permian mass extinction 252 million years ago, initially overshadowed—quite literally—by the massive ancestors of crocodiles. They also lived alongside pterosaurs, the first creatures to fly by flapping their wings instead of gliding, some of which grew as big as fighter jets.
Small, fast, and adaptable—think chicken, not T. rex—they gradually found their niche. Then, around 201 million years ago, volcanic eruptions wiped out many competitors, paving the way for dinosaurs to become Earth’s dominant land animals. And this, children, teaches us the importance of being patient.
One more thing
In 2024, palaeontologists uncovered hundreds of dinosaur footprints across a vast quarry floor in Oxfordshire. Dinos really knew how to leave an impression!
Scientific one-liners
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What I’ve been reading
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“The Teacher-Friendly Guide to Climate Change” covers climate change basics and strategies for teaching this politically polarised topic, tailored for high school Earth and environmental science teachers with classroom-ready information and graphics.
Elia Kabanov is a science writer covering the past, present and future of technology (@metkere)
Illustration: Elia Kabanov feat. MidJourney.