Asteroid collides with Earth, kills dinosaurs

The famous dinosaurs became extinct when an asteroid struck Earth 66 million years ago, causing earthquakes, tsunamis and wildfires, followed by a decade of darkness when gray clouds obscured the sun.

Approximately 76% of plants and animals are extinct. But snakes, like some other mammals, birds, frogs and fish, clung to life.

Dr. Catherine Klein, who led the research at Bath University, said: ‘In an environment where the food system has collapsed, snakes can survive and thrive, and new ways in which they can migrate to new continents and interact with their environment.

“Without the collision of this asteroid, it would not have reached the level it is today,” he added.

By the time the asteroid struck Mexico, snakes were just as we know them today: legs stretched out with jaws to swallow prey.

With food shortages, the ability to survive without food for up to a year and hunting in the dark after a disaster plays an important role in their survival.

A few of the surviving snake species live underground or in the foothills and in fresh water.

With little competition from other animals, snakes had various evolutionary paths and an empty space to go around the world, first settling in Asia.

Over time, using new habitats and new prey, snakes became larger and more widespread. New groups appeared, including giant sea snakes up to 10 meters long.

The research, published in the journal Nature Communications, shows that all snakes are creatures that have escaped the impact of the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs.

The diversity of modern snakes – including wood snakes, sea snakes, venomous vipers and cobras and massive contemporaries such as boas and vipers – only emerged after this mass extinction.

And such events – when half of all living things die in a relatively short period of time – have occurred only a few times in the history of our planet.

In times of great catastrophe, evolution is “very experimental and innovative,” said Dr. Nick Longrich of the Center for Evolution’s research at the University of Bath.

This study found evidence of a second eruption in the growth and development of snakes as the world shifted from “hot ground” to colder climates, marking the formation of polar ice caps and the beginning of ice ages.

Snakes are incredibly successful at living and growing on land, and can be found on all continents except Antarctica. They live in most ecosystems from the sea to the arid deserts. There are snakes that live underground and snakes that live on top of trees. They vary in size from a few centimeters to more than 6 meters.

Snakes are very important for the health of ecosystems, helping humans by controlling prey and controlling harmful insects. Due to the conflict with humans, many species are in danger of extinction.