Honkers: new theory of dinosaur extinction

[bh480@scn.org]

Copyright 2002 MGN Ltd. 
The Mirror  August 19, 2002, Monday 
NOISY SEX KILLED DINOS 
A NEW dinosaur extinction theory claims dinosaurs died out 
because they made too much noise mating. 
Japanese archaeologist Dr Rikao Yanagida claims the noise 
of a 50 metre long, 100-ton seismosaurus mating would be 
so loud other other smaller dinosaurs in the area would 
have been killed by the noise - robbing carnivores of 
potential prey. Yanagida said: "The biggest dinosaurs 
would have found sex to be an exhausting rather than a 
pleasurable activity." 
But Osaka University professor Kunio Kojima dismissed the 
theory. 
He said: "With dinosaurs, basically cold-blooded 
creatures, they weren't able to control whether they were 
hot or cold. 
"It's a unique theory but I think it's more natural to 
believe they became extinct because they couldn't adapt to 
climactic changes resulting from dust clouds caused by a 
meteorite impact."