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mazingerz88's avatar

So absent that dino party-crashing asteroid, Barney rules and humans drool?

Asked by mazingerz88 (28814points) May 8th, 2011

I’m almost certain I read somewhere that if that asteroid did not hit Earth and destroyed all the dinosaurs, it would be next to impossible for the human specie to emerge and evolve. If you agree, what would be the exact reasons and if you don’t, would you share your theory on how man would have survived a world ruled by dinosaurs?

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11 Answers

CaptMatt's avatar

If humans existed during that time, they would have figured out a way to survive.

Granted, I highly doubt it would resemble anything in the existence we now know, but they would have figured out the migratory patterns of dinosaurs, or moved to places where dinosaurs didn’t enjoy much, which as I understand it tended to be colder climates.

I can’t imagine it would be an existence with many people, certainly not the billions we now have, but it would still exist. And likely, they would have developed a way to combat the dinosaurs.

So maybe we would have skyscrapers afterall.

cookieman's avatar

Continuing from @CaptMatt‘s scenario:

Humans would then eventually domesticate dinosaurs and house-train breeds such as the poodle-saurus.

Pooper Scoopers would be much larger and manufactured by John Deer.

Thammuz's avatar

Nothing is impossible, for instance another humanoid species could have developed in areas inhabited by smaller dinosaurs, or herbivore dinosaurs. We managed to survive mammoths an hunt them even, afterall.

Sure it would be a very different history and we sure enough wouldn’t be like we are now, but there’s no reason to assume that something LIKE us wouldn’t be able to develop in those circumstances.

FutureMemory's avatar

I read somewhere that the stereotypical Grey Alien is what humanity would look like had the dinosaurs not been wiped out.

LuckyGuy's avatar

There are so many twists and turns along the evolutionary path it is impossible to tell where “we’d” be now had dinos still ruled. It all depends upon your assumptions and time line.
Here is one of an infinite set of possibilities:
Mammals need to hide from super predators who dominate easy food and water sources. For safety they remain small and hide underground. They survive severe weather extremes and have time to evolve by developing a form of underground agriculture not unlike leaf farming ants. They use digestive juices and bile to convert the plant cellulose into usable sugars enabling them to eat almost all vegetable matter. Over 60 million years they become so intelligent and their bile so strong they begin transmitting a regular radio show on the EIB network.

JilltheTooth's avatar

Just FYI, Harry Harrison posited such a scenario in the 80s. Interesting to see where it took him.

LuckyGuy's avatar

@JilltheTooth I just looked at Harrison’s scenario and like his reasoning. It is one of many possibilities.

mazingerz88's avatar

@JilltheTooth Read it and wow, repeated matings will kill males making them wary of females? Radical! ( a suicidal man may go that route )

LuckyGuy's avatar

@mazingerz88 Imagine the poor male praying mantis. That last orgasm had better be really good.

mazingerz88's avatar

@worriedguy godawful! no supermax orgasm is worth that flat-out sick freakish head ripping stunt…

Pandora's avatar

We would’ve developed longer limbs for faster running and long hard nails and fangs to defend ourselves. Maybe be a cross between an ape and a monkey, living in trees and hunting in large groups. Eventually it will be a race of all females/males and all we would have to so is simulate sexual movement to get pregnant.

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