News Paleontology

Feathers may have helped dinosaurs survive the Triassic mass extinction

Volcanic winters set off by massive eruptions may have spelled doom for many uninsulated reptiles

illustration of a feathered theropod dinosaur eating a small furry mammal

A feathered theropod dinosaur snags a mammal snack amid a snowy winter caused by massive volcanic eruptions about 202 million years ago in this artist’s rendition.

Painting by Larry Felder

By Carolyn Gramling

- More than 2 years ago

Read another version of this article at Science News Explores

Widespread volcanic eruptions around 202 million years ago had a profound effect on Earth’s climate, triggering a mass extinction event that killed off three-fourths of the planet’s species, including many large reptiles.