Non-bird dinosaurs lived between about 245 and 66 million years ago, in a time known as the Mesozoic Era. This was many millions of years before the first modern humans, Homo sapiens, appeared. Scientists divide the Mesozoic Era into three periods: the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous.

Did dinosaurs ever existed on Earth?

Dinosaurs are a group of reptiles that have lived on Earth for about 245 million years. ... Dinosaur fossils have been found on all seven continents. All non-avian dinosaurs went extinct about 66 million years ago. There are roughly 700 known species of extinct dinosaurs.

When did dinosaurs come to Earth?

Dinosaurs were a successful group of animals that emerged between 240 million and 230 million years ago and came to rule the world until about 66 million years ago, when a giant asteroid slammed into Earth.