When Dinosaurs Inhabited the Planet

When Dinosaurs Inhabited The Planet When dinosaurs roamed the earth (T-Rexes, Triceratopses, Stegosauruses, and Brontosauruses) Millions of years ago during the Mesozoic Era; The land lushed green from the oxygen enriched environment, And the lakes and oceans hued blue teeming with life (Plesiosaurs and Ichthyosaurs, fishes, amphibians, and crustaceans) While Pterosaurs (Pterodactyls and Pteranodons) commanded the skies, And lizards, arachnids, and insects (dragonflies and cockroaches) thrived; And tiny mammals crouched, hidden, waiting to evolve, Among flowering plant blooms and tree blossoms. And in the far distance, volcanoes erupted, Spewing ashes, lava, and gases. Today, reptilian fossils are on display in museums Alongside petrified trees, to tell the story, When dinosaurs inhabited the planet. *** Note: The Mesozoic Era (aka The Age of Dinosaurs and The Age of Conifers) of Earth’s history began approximately 250 million years ago, and lasted almost 180 million years (i.e. until around 65 million years ago). The Mesozoic Era is divided into three periods: 1) Triassic, 2) Jurassic and 3) Cretaceous. Mass extinctions mark the beginning and the end of the Mesozoic Era. Vegetation consisted mainly of conifers and ferns with the appearance of flowering plants during the mid to latter part of the Jurassic, which evolved to flourish in the Cretaceous period, with the evolution of dinosaurs into feathered birds.