Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Where did dinosaurs live?

Dinosaurs lived on all of the continents. At the beginning of the age of dinosaurs (during the Triassic Period, about 230 million years ago), the continents were arranged together as a single supercontinent called Pangea. During the 165 million years of dinosaur existence this supercontinent slowly broke apart. Its pieces then spread across the globe into a nearly modern arrangement by a process called plate tectonics.

Learn more: This Dynamic Planet: A Teaching Companion

 

Related

Image: USGS Snowmastodon Research

Why did some dinosaurs grow so big? Why did some dinosaurs grow so big?

Paleontologists don't know for certain, but perhaps a large body size protected them from most predators, helped to regulate internal body temperature, or let them reach new sources of food (some probably browsed treetops, as giraffes do today). No modern animals except whales are even close in size to the largest dinosaurs; therefore, paleontologists think that the dinosaurs' world was much...

Why did some dinosaurs grow so big?

Why did some dinosaurs grow so big?

Paleontologists don't know for certain, but perhaps a large body size protected them from most predators, helped to regulate internal body temperature, or let them reach new sources of food (some probably browsed treetops, as giraffes do today). No modern animals except whales are even close in size to the largest dinosaurs; therefore, paleontologists think that the dinosaurs' world was much...

Learn More
No results found.
Filter Total Items: 15

Crinoids; a computer animation and paper model Crinoids; a computer animation and paper model

No abstract available.
Authors
Tau Alpha, Dorothy Stout, Scott Starratt

Geologic age: using radioactive decay to determine geologic age Geologic age: using radioactive decay to determine geologic age

At the close of the 18th century, the haze of fantasy and mysticism that tended to obscure the true nature of the Earth was being swept away. Careful studies by scientists showed that rocks had diverse origins. Some rock layers, containing clearly identifiable fossil remains of fish and other forms of aquatic animal and plant life, originally formed in the ocean. Other layers, consisting...
Authors

Mud fossils Mud fossils

At the close of the 18th century, the haze of fantasy and mysticism that tended to obscure the true nature of the Earth was being swept away. Careful studies by scientists showed that rocks had diverse origins. Some rock layers, containing clearly identifiable fossil remains of fish and other forms of aquatic animal and plant life, originally formed in the ocean. Other layers, consisting...
Authors

Chicxulub impact event; computer animations and paper models Chicxulub impact event; computer animations and paper models

No abstract available.
Authors
T. Alpha, John Galloway, S. W. Starratt

This dynamic earth: the story of plate tectonics This dynamic earth: the story of plate tectonics

In the early 1960s, the emergence of the theory of plate tectonics started a revolution in the earth sciences. Since then, scientists have verified and refined this theory, and now have a much better understanding of how our planet has been shaped by plate-tectonic processes. We now know that, directly or indirectly, plate tectonics influences nearly all geologic processes, past and...
Authors
W. Kious, Robert Tilling
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Volcano Hazards Program, Volcano Science Center

Make your own paper fossils; a computer animation and paper models Make your own paper fossils; a computer animation and paper models

No abstract available.
Authors
Tau Alpha, James Hendley, Scott Starratt

Related

Image: USGS Snowmastodon Research

Why did some dinosaurs grow so big? Why did some dinosaurs grow so big?

Paleontologists don't know for certain, but perhaps a large body size protected them from most predators, helped to regulate internal body temperature, or let them reach new sources of food (some probably browsed treetops, as giraffes do today). No modern animals except whales are even close in size to the largest dinosaurs; therefore, paleontologists think that the dinosaurs' world was much...

Why did some dinosaurs grow so big?

Why did some dinosaurs grow so big?

Paleontologists don't know for certain, but perhaps a large body size protected them from most predators, helped to regulate internal body temperature, or let them reach new sources of food (some probably browsed treetops, as giraffes do today). No modern animals except whales are even close in size to the largest dinosaurs; therefore, paleontologists think that the dinosaurs' world was much...

Learn More
No results found.
Filter Total Items: 15

Crinoids; a computer animation and paper model Crinoids; a computer animation and paper model

No abstract available.
Authors
Tau Alpha, Dorothy Stout, Scott Starratt

Geologic age: using radioactive decay to determine geologic age Geologic age: using radioactive decay to determine geologic age

At the close of the 18th century, the haze of fantasy and mysticism that tended to obscure the true nature of the Earth was being swept away. Careful studies by scientists showed that rocks had diverse origins. Some rock layers, containing clearly identifiable fossil remains of fish and other forms of aquatic animal and plant life, originally formed in the ocean. Other layers, consisting...
Authors

Mud fossils Mud fossils

At the close of the 18th century, the haze of fantasy and mysticism that tended to obscure the true nature of the Earth was being swept away. Careful studies by scientists showed that rocks had diverse origins. Some rock layers, containing clearly identifiable fossil remains of fish and other forms of aquatic animal and plant life, originally formed in the ocean. Other layers, consisting...
Authors

Chicxulub impact event; computer animations and paper models Chicxulub impact event; computer animations and paper models

No abstract available.
Authors
T. Alpha, John Galloway, S. W. Starratt

This dynamic earth: the story of plate tectonics This dynamic earth: the story of plate tectonics

In the early 1960s, the emergence of the theory of plate tectonics started a revolution in the earth sciences. Since then, scientists have verified and refined this theory, and now have a much better understanding of how our planet has been shaped by plate-tectonic processes. We now know that, directly or indirectly, plate tectonics influences nearly all geologic processes, past and...
Authors
W. Kious, Robert Tilling
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Volcano Hazards Program, Volcano Science Center

Make your own paper fossils; a computer animation and paper models Make your own paper fossils; a computer animation and paper models

No abstract available.
Authors
Tau Alpha, James Hendley, Scott Starratt
Updated Date: August 6, 2025
Was this page helpful?