~6-7 Million Years Ago: Hominins (human ancestors) split from chimpanzee lineage.
~12,000 Years Ago: Agriculture and settled farming communities began, marking the start of civilization as we know it.
~2.5 Million Years Ago: The first members of our genus, Homo, emerged, like Homo habilis, associated with early stone tools.
~1.8 Million Years Ago: Homo erectus appeared, spreading out of Africa and using fire.
~300,000 Years Ago: Homo sapiens (modern humans) first appeared in Africa, with fossils found in places like Ethiopia.
~160,000 Years Ago: Anatomically modern humans were established.
~12,000 Years Ago: Agriculture and settled farming communities began, marking the start of civilization as we know it.
The Earth has seen many geologic periods. Around 65 million years ago, dinosaurs were enjoying their existence on the planet that had stretched for 230-245 million years. They dominated the Earth for 175 million years during the Mesozoic Era, evolving through a series of climate changes. Then, according to fossil records, all land based dinosaurs ( as well as around 85% of all species) died off due to a series of violent events. The exact nature of these events is still open to scientific debate. Evidence suggests an asteroid impact was the main culprit. Volcanic eruptions that caused large-scale climate change may also have been involved, Also contributing was more gradual changes to Earth’s climate that happened across millions of years.
So what if an asteroid hadn’t stuck the Earth? What if dinosaurs had been allowed to continue their dominance and evolution another 65 million years? In the 1980’s, paleontologist Dale Russell proposed a thought experiment in which a carnivorous dinosaur evolved into an intelligent tool user.This “dinosauroid” was big-brained with opposable thumbs and walked upright. According to BBC Science Focus, dinosaurs were thriving and pretty smart before being wiped out, so theoretically, given time, they may have evolved in the same way primates have.
Small, fast, deadly ‘raptors’ such as Velociraptor, which had big brains and keen senses, and were probably as smart as dogs and cats are today. Given millions of years of evolution, perhaps they would have taken the path of primates, eventually developing tool use, sophisticated communication, and even complex societies. Could the natural selection circumstances that accelerated man’s intellect similarly influenced dinosaurs had they been the dominant species?
Would random intelligence evolve on a dinosaur-dominated planet? There are many factors influencing the arresting or acceleration of any species trait through generations including mutation, gene flow, natural selection, and population migration. The evidence is that in the last hundred million years. only one species has achieved planetary dominance. Evolution is essentially random and is driven by accidental mutation and accidental mating. Natural selection plays out over hundreds of generations and millions of years. Small natural catastrophes or alien infections brought by meteor strikes could have reduced the dinosaur population, Mammals in high altitudes (Yeti?) could have evolved in climate areas not conducive to dinosaurs and gradually challenged their dominance.
Social animals are more likely to evolve intelligence. As such, it could be argued that the members that coerce and use physical force will rise to the highest levels of tribe hierarchy. These are the ones that will have priority mating opportunities and more likely to pass these traits on to future generations.
Life is not a Spectator Sport 