Although the beginning of life is still a big enigma, the extinction of dinosaurs has a similar secret. One of the theses on the extinction of dinosaurs is that dinosaurs failed to survive because of the consequences created by the meteorite that hit the world 66 million years ago. However, some scientists think that meteorite crash only accelerates the inevitable. A 2016 study revealed that dinosaurs died in significant numbers tens of millions of years before meteorite hit our world. According to a study published in 2019, dinosaurs did not tend to be extinct even at the end of the mesozoic period when meteorite struck. A recent fossil seems to fuel this debate. 67-million-year-old fossil The 67-million-year-old fossil carnivorous and feathered dinosaur found in the San Juan Basin in New Mexico, USA, consists of 20 bones. This fossil, which is stated to be the ‘cousin’ of the Velociraptor species, was named ‘Dineobellator notohesperus’ based on the locals of Navajo in the region. This new dinosaur, estimated to be able to reach high speeds like its cousin, is 67 million years old, showing that bipedal carnivorous dinosaurs were quite strong before the meteorite disaster 66 million years ago. If the calculations and research are correct, another blow will be taken to the scientific view that the dinosaurs are extinct before the meteorite disaster. It is stated that the length of the new dinosaur species is 2 meters and its weight is between 18 and 22 kilograms. While the upper arm bone of the dinosaur is stated to have a very discrete angle, it is estimated that the new dinosaur has a higher muscle efficiency in this region than its ‘cousins’. This allowed the new dinosaur to be stronger than other animals of its size. The new dinosaur’s paws are also thought to be large, making them capable of holding things with their hands and feet.
