As a dino-mad race, we humans love to imagine what life might be like if our favourite prehistoric creatures came back to walk alongside us. If you’ve ever had a family day out at a museum or dinosaur theme park, for example, you will have seen the size and scale of these magnificent beasts. But did you know that if dinosaurs had lived to see the modern world, things wouldn’t be at all like they are now? Here, we outline seven things that could happen if dinosaurs were still alive.
 

1. You might not recognise the dinosaurs

A whopping 66 million years has passed since the dinosaurs last roamed the earth, and if they had survived in large numbers they would have evolved further, meaning they wouldn’t look like the creatures we know. In fact, one family of two-legged dinosaurs did survive, and became the birds that we’re surrounded by today. 
 

2. We may look very different

The first primates (from which we evolved) were around by the end of the dinosaur era, but the continued existence of dinosaurs may have meant mammals didn’t have a chance to get so big. It’s possible we would still have tails and be scampering about in trees.

3. The dinosaurs might be smaller

Had the gigantic sauropods like Alamosaurus and Saltasaurus survived the mass extinction event, they would have had to contend with a global warming event that happened about 55 million years ago. Earth’s average temperature reached 8°C hotter than it is today and much of the land was covered in rainforest. Plants thrived and sauropods would probably have become smaller in size. 
 

4. There may be more duck-billed dinos

Dinosaurs had evolved a range of advantages over mammals by the time they died out. Had duck-billed dinosaurs - called hadrosaurs - continued to live, they may have taken over the grasslands that began to spread about 34 million years ago. That would mean less room for animals like horses and cows to develop, as hadrosaurs had up to 1,000 teeth and could have made short work of vast grasslands. 
 

5. There might be woolly dinosaurs

During the past 2.6 million years, Earth has experienced a few ice ages. That means dinosaurs living nearer the poles may have evolved thicker feathers or even fur. We might have woolly ankylosaurs or hadrosaurs roams in the far northern and southern regions of the world.
 

6. Dinos may have become more intelligent

Assuming dinosaurs reached the present day, it’s possible that they would have much more complex brains like crows, parrots, or primates. Troodon had a notoriously large brain and its descendants may have evolved more nuanced behaviours and abilities. 

7. Dinosaurs might be protected

It’s always possible that, as with the megafauna of the past, dinosaurs would have been hunted to extinction by humans. A few of the larger species may be hanging on in protected areas such as national parks, while some of the smaller species could have adapted to urban environments, surviving like pigeons and rats do. 

Discover dinosaurs at Dinosaur World Live

If you’re searching for a family show near me to entertain and inspire dino-mad kids, don’t miss Dinosaur World Live. This engaging theatre show is aimed at children aged three and up, making for a great family fun day out.