Here's what would have happened if the asteroid hadn't destroyed the dinosaurs

As you know, 66 million years ago, an asteroid measuring more than 10 km long crashed into Earth on the Yucatán Peninsula. This catastrophe caused the extinction of the dinosaurs and allowed life to follow a new path in its evolution, leading us to where we are today. 

This mass extinction, which wiped out 75% of the species living on Earth at the time, was a huge turning point in the history of life on Earth. It must be said that when this happened, these creatures were at the peak of their power and ruled the entire planet. 

Furthermore, they had already faced numerous catastrophes during their existence, such as drastic rises in sea level, major climate variations causing episodes of heavy rainfall followed by severe droughts, as well as profound changes in ecosystems and intense volcanic activity. 

So, if we imagine a world in which the asteroid had not hit Earth, there is no doubt that dinosaurs would have continued to evolve while adapting to various changes. The same is true of the ice ages that caused the extinction of certain species in the past.

Considering the incredible adaptability of these creatures, it is possible that some individuals would have been able to adapt to this element. This is particularly true when we consider that various dinosaurs had feathers, enabling them to cope with harsh climatic conditions. And that's not all, because as has recently been proven, Tyrannosaurus rex was a warm-blooded animal, which gave it a barrier against temperature changes.

Regarding intelligence, paleontologist Dale Russel estimated in 1962 that Troodontidae could have developed intelligence comparable to that of humans. However, this study is controversial following a new investigation published in the Journal of Comparative Neurology in 2023. This is despite the fact that some modern birds, which are direct descendants of dinosaurs, show similarities with humans in this regard. 

It is therefore highly likely that if this catastrophe had not occurred, humans would not exist on Earth. Indeed, dinosaurs reigned supreme and mammals were unable to develop as they did later. On this subject, paleontologist Paul Sereno of the University of Chicago adds: “We evolved in a world of mammals that would have been impossible to conceive with large non-avian dinosaurs around. We are not inevitable.”