Why did the dinosaurs go extinct? What are “extinction events,” and what does the fossil record say about them? Once again, paleontologist Dr. Thomas Adams joins the podcast as Abbey and Daemon discuss what was able to wipe out these apex predators (along with 75% of life on earth!). The three dive into meteorites, asteroids, plant and animal life and mass extinction events—past and future.

To learn more information about the sources and references for today’s episode, visit:

• Australian Museum, Tyrannosaurs: Meet the Family traveling exhibition: https://www.wittemuseum.org/exhibitions/tyrannosaurs-meet-the-family/


• Black, R. (2022). The last days of the dinosaurs: an asteroid, extinction, and the beginning of our world. First edition. New York, St. Martin's Press.


• Field Museum, Antarctic Dinosaurs traveling exhibition: https://www.wittemuseum.org/exhibitions/antarctic-dinosaurs/


• Lunar and Planetary Institute, Understanding the K-T Boundary: https://www.lpi.usra.edu/science/kring/Chicxulub/


• Smithsonian Magazine, What Happened the Day a Giant, Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Hit the Earth: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/dinosaur-killing-asteroid-impact-chicxulub-crater-timeline-destruction-180973075/

Space.com, Asteroid that killed the dinosaurs: Likely origin and what we know about the famous space rock: https://www.space.com/dinosaur-impactor-origin

Hosted by the Witte Museum’s Abigail Jacks, Environmental Science Education Manager, and Daemon Piña, Health and Wellness Education Manager. Featuring paleontologist and geologist Dr. Thomas Adams, Chief Curator & Vice President of Research. Produced by Alyssa Sailor-Tynes, Digital Marketing Manager.

A companion to the Tyrannosaurs: Meet the Family and Antarctic Dinosaurs exhibitions, at the Witte for a limited time. Tyrannosaurs: Meet the Family is created by the Australian Museum and toured internationally by Evergreen Exhibitions. Tyrannosaurs: Meet the Family at the Witte Museum is generously supported by The Alamo, Valero Energy Corporation and the Mary Pat and Michael Bolner Exhibit Endowment Fund. Antarctic Dinosaurs is developed and traveled by the Field Museum, Chicago in partnership with the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Discovery Place – Charlotte, NC and the Natural History Museum of Utah. Generous support was provided by the Kenneth C. Griffin Charitable Fund. Antarctic Dinosaurs at the Witte Museum is generously supported by HOLT Cat and Mary Pat and Mike Bolner.

For more information and to experience the limited-time exhibitions at the Witte, visit https://bit.ly/45IIEgv.