Today, many extinct animals are more familiar to us than some species that are still alive. Among them are the dinosaurs. The diplodocus is more famous than the aardvark, and the tyrannosaurus more famous than the peramete. Dinosaurs are part of popular culture. For over 160 million years, these majestic creatures dominated the Earth, occupying most ecological niches and leaving little room for other species.

On five occasions, the Earth was confronted with major upheavals that had a fundamental impact on its subsequent history. When they disappeared during the fifth mass extinction, the dinosaurs left an immeasurable void. But one man's misfortune is another man's gain, and this void enabled the evolution of mammals and birds, which are now highly diversified groups of animals. Without this extinction, dinosaurs would probably have continued to dominate life on Earth, and other animals would not have had the opportunity to make their mark.

Mass extinctions change the rules of the game, redistributing the cards by condemning certain groups and giving new opportunities to others. When the dinosaurs disappeared, our distant ancestors survived.

What did the Earth look like after the extinction of the dinosaurs?