The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World: The Definitive Dinosaur Encyclopedia with Stunning Illustrations, Embark on a Prehistoric Quest!

by Steve Brusatte

As a matter of fact, many of today’s most recognizable animals can be traced back to the Triassic. The very first turtles, lizards, crocodiles, and even mammals came into the world during this time. All of these animals—so much a fabric of the Earth we call home today—rose up alongside the dinosaurs in the harsh surroundings of prehistoric Pangea. The apocalypse of the end-Permian extinction left such an empty playing field that there was space for all sorts of new creatures to evolve, which they did unabated during the 50 million years of the Triassic. It was a time of grand biological experimentation that changed the planet forever and reverberates still today. It’s no wonder many paleontologists refer to the Triassic as the “dawn of the modern world.”