The Mesozoic Era

dinosaurs · ancient earth · geology · climate

The Age of Dinosaurs. The Mesozoic Era lasted from about 252 to 66 million years ago, and during this time dinosaurs were the most powerful animals on land. Huge sauropods, fierce theropods, and armored herbivores roamed every continent.

Pangaea was Breaking Up. At the start of the Mesozoic, all the continents were stuck together in one giant landmass called Pangaea. Over millions of years, this supercontinent slowly split apart, creating the continents we know today.

It Was Very Hot. The Mesozoic had a hot greenhouse climate, meaning Earth was much warmer than it is now and there was a lot of carbon dioxide in the air. There were no ice caps at the poles during this time.

Different Plants Than Today. Instead of the flowering plants and grasses we see now, the Mesozoic was filled with cycads, ginkgos, and conifer trees that looked strange compared to modern plants. These plants thrived in the warm, wet climate.

The Middle Chapter. The Mesozoic is the middle of three great eras of complex life on Earth, sitting between the Paleozoic Era that came before it and the Cenozoic Era that came after.