Re: The New Papers Before Christmas

[Dann Pigdon <dannj@alphalink.com.au>]

David Marjanovic writes: 

> > Thus, this test provides no support for a possible role of
> > ionizing radiation in the K-T extinction event.
>
> For that, they'd need a lot of material from a very short timespan... 

[Speculation mode initiated] 

I'd think the most damaging effects of an increase in ionizing radiation 
would be to embryos in non-buried eggs, rather than to adult animals. Crocs, 
lizards and turtles tend to be egg buriers, and small pregnant mammals may 
have avoided any possible radiation increases if they were nocturnal 
burrowers. Dinosaurs that only half-buried their eggs, or relied entirely on 
direct incubation (leaving them exposed when mum wasn't around), may have 
experienced higher egg mortality rates if ionizing radiation had increased. 
Tree- or burrow-nesting birds may have fared better. 

[Speculation mode ended] 

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Dann Pigdon
GIS / Archaeologist              geo cities.com/dannsdinosaurs
Melbourne, Australia             heretichides.soffiles.com
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