In the north, the Atlantic Ocean was a narrow seaway, but it was widening rapidly. Marine reptiles like plesiosaurs and ichthyosaurs patrolled the depths, while giant predatory fish like Xiphactinus ruled the waters.
Understanding the End Cretaceous Extinction Event
Antarctica, far from the frozen pole, was a temperate, forested landscape, hosting diverse flora and fauna that thrived in a climate more akin to modern-day Washington or southern Australia. The Cretaceous World: A Greenhouse Planet Geologically, 100 million years ago places us squarely in the middle of the Cretaceous Period, an era that began roughly 145 million years ago and ended 66 million years ago.
The Tethys Ocean, for instance, acted as a massive thermal reservoir, moderating temperatures between the northern continents. Global temperatures were significantly warmer than today, with average surface temperatures perhaps 6 to 8 degrees Celsius higher.
Understanding the End Cretaceous Extinction Event
Polar regions were ice-free, and sea levels were exceptionally high, flooding continental interiors and creating vast, shallow inland seas that split continents like North America into isolated landmasses. Continental Drift and Its Consequences The movement of these continents reshaped ocean currents and global climate patterns, creating unique environments.
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