Flowers poisoned and killed dinosaurs, research saysApril 6, 2018 - 14:20 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - There's strong scientific evidence to suggest an ancient asteroid impact off the coast of Mexico wiped out the dinosaurs, but new research suggests the giant lizards were already on the way out because some beautiful new species had begun to poison them, CNet reports. A recent study published in the journal Ideas in Ecology and Evolution finds that the emergence of the first flowering plants, which included some poisonous species, occurs in the fossil record long before the fateful asteroid impact and just before the dinosaurs begin to decline. University of Albany professor, evolutionary psychologist and co-author Gordon Gallup says dinosaurs may have been too slow to evolve a learned taste aversion that would allow them to associate the taste of certain foods with danger. Instead, they just kept chomping on the toxic plants despite gastrointestinal distress. "Though the asteroid certainly played a factor, the psychological deficit which rendered dinosaurs incapable of learning to refrain from eating certain plants had already placed severe strain on the species," Gallup said in a statement this week. Gallup and his former student Michael J. Frederick also studied whether birds and crocodilian species, which are both considered to be descendants of dinosaurs, could develop taste aversions. They found birds learn to avoid things that make them sick by recognizing them visually, while the crocodilians, like their larger ancestors, just kept chowing down. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. Aram I supports Karekin II’s “patriotic position” Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I has expressed support for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. |