Changes

Because the term only came into use in the 19th century, the [[Bible]] obviously does not use the word "dinosaur."  However, they are alleged to be mentioned in numerous places throughout the biblical account. For example, the '''behemoth''' in [[Job]]  and the '''leviathan''' in [[Isaiah]] are sometimes said to be references to dinosaurs,<ref>[http://www.answersingenesis.org/tj/v15/i2/behemoth.asp Could Behemoth have been a dinosaur?], ''Answers in Genesis''</ref>  <ref>[http://www.answersincreation.org/job4041a.htm], ''Answers in Creation''</ref>, although some reject this view, saying that behemoth was a hippopotamus and leviathan was a crocodile. There is a problem with this view, however, such as the fact that a hippo doesn't have a "tail like a cedar" and a crocodile does not accurately match the description of leviathan.

Because the term only came into use in the 19th century, the [[Bible]] obviously does not use the word "dinosaur."  However, they are alleged to be mentioned in numerous places throughout the biblical account. For example, the '''behemoth''' in [[Job]]  and the '''leviathan''' in [[Isaiah]] are sometimes said to be references to dinosaurs,<ref>[http://www.answersingenesis.org/tj/v15/i2/behemoth.asp Could Behemoth have been a dinosaur?], ''Answers in Genesis''</ref>  <ref>[http://www.answersincreation.org/job4041a.htm], ''Answers in Creation''</ref>, although some reject this view, saying that behemoth was a hippopotamus and leviathan was a crocodile. There is a problem with this view, however, such as the fact that a hippo doesn't have a "tail like a cedar" and a crocodile does not accurately match the description of leviathan.

==Evolutionary Scientists Perspective==

==Scientists' Perspective==

According to evolution science interpretations of fossil records, dinosaurs existed on earth from 230 million years ago to 65 million years ago. The entire population of dinosaurs were supposedly wiped out by a mass extinction event (usually thought to be an asteroid) about 65 million years ago.  Young earth creationists hotly contest this view, because it contradicts the creation story in [[Genesis]].

According to scientific interpretations of fossil records, dinosaurs existed on earth from 230 million years ago to 65 million years ago. The entire population of dinosaurs were supposedly wiped out by a mass extinction event (usually thought to be an asteroid) about 65 million years ago.  Young earth creationists hotly contest this view, because it contradicts the creation story in [[Genesis]].

===Extinction===

===Extinction===

According to [[Theory of evolution|evolutionary]] scientists, close to 65 million years ago, at the end of the [[Cretaceous]] period, and the beginning of what is called the [[Tertiary]] period, an event occurred which has come to be known as the [[K-T Event]].  These scientists claim this event obliterated most life on Earth, plunging the world into something that would now be likened to global nuclear winter, through which few extant species could survive.  Although scientists dispute the nature of the K-T Event (selecting among any number of catastrophes that could have caused the significant global cooling that resulted), most find that the claimed K-T Event was caused by the collision of a massive asteroid with the Earth, the dust and debris from which shrouded the sky for thousands of years, cooling Earth considerably.<ref>Kevin O Pope, "Meteorite impact and the mass extinction of species at the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary," Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, available at [http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/95/19/11028]</ref>  According to evolutionary scientists, the dinosaurs did not survive this cataclysm.<ref>[http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/08/0823_020823_asteroid.html Prehistoric Asteroid "Killed Everything"], ''National Geographic''</ref> Evolutionary scientists claim that evidence of the dust that caused this long winter is still visible, though, as a line of metal of extraterrestrial origin is often visible in sediment worldwide, occurring as a result of the vaporization and then fall of dust from the meteorite's impact, and its compression within the subsequent geological record.<ref>''Ibid''</ref>  The crater is also visible.<ref>[http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/03/0307_030307_impactcrater.html "Dinosaur-Killer" Asteroid Crater Imaged for First Time], ''National Geographic''</ref>

Close to 65 million years ago, at the end of the [[Cretaceous]] period, and the beginning of what is called the [[Tertiary]] period, an event occurred which has come to be known as the [[K-T Event]].  This event obliterated most life on Earth, plunging the world into something that would now be likened to global nuclear winter, through which few extant species could survive.  Although scientists dispute the nature of the K-T Event (selecting among any number of catastrophes that could have caused the significant global cooling that resulted), most find that the claimed K-T Event was caused by the collision of a massive asteroid with the Earth, the dust and debris from which shrouded the sky for thousands of years, cooling Earth considerably.<ref>Kevin O Pope, "Meteorite impact and the mass extinction of species at the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary," Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, available at [http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/95/19/11028]</ref>  According to evolutionary scientists, the dinosaurs did not survive this cataclysm.<ref>[http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/08/0823_020823_asteroid.html Prehistoric Asteroid "Killed Everything"], ''National Geographic''</ref> Evidence of the dust that caused this long winter is still visible, though, as a line of metal of extraterrestrial origin is often visible in sediment worldwide, occurring as a result of the vaporization and then fall of dust from the meteorite's impact, and its compression within the subsequent geological record.<ref>''Ibid''</ref>  The crater is also visible.<ref>[http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/03/0307_030307_impactcrater.html "Dinosaur-Killer" Asteroid Crater Imaged for First Time], ''National Geographic''</ref>

===Cambrian Life Explosion===

===Cambrian Life Explosion===

According to evolutionary scientists, the extinction of the dinosaurs removed a major food competitor, and predator, of smaller animals.  These scientists claim that as a result of a new "vacancy" in the food chain, following the [[K-T Event]], vast speciation occurred, as the evolutionary pressure of a new cold age propelled animal species to adapt or die out.  According to these scientists, what we now know as [[mammals]] were some of the main beneficiaries of this explosion: their fur allowed them to adapt to the cold, and their small size allowed them to conserve energy relative to the huge dinosaurs of the previous age.<ref>Bennet, Shostak, Jakotsky, "Life in the Universe," viewable at [http://www.amazon.com/Life-Universe-Jeffrey-Bennett/dp/0805385770]</ref>

The extinction of the dinosaurs removed a major food competitor, and predator, of smaller animals.  These scientists claim that as a result of a new "vacancy" in the food chain, following the [[K-T Event]], vast speciation occurred, as the evolutionary pressure of a new cold age propelled animal species to adapt or die out.  What we now know as [[mammals]] were some of the main beneficiaries of this explosion: their fur allowed them to adapt to the cold, and their small size allowed them to conserve energy relative to the huge dinosaurs of the previous age.<ref>Bennet, Shostak, Jakotsky, "Life in the Universe," viewable at [http://www.amazon.com/Life-Universe-Jeffrey-Bennett/dp/0805385770]</ref>

===Dinosaurs and Birds===

===Dinosaurs and Birds===