# Mammals May Explain Why Tiny Dinosaurs Were Rare 2026-08-06T17:40:14+00:00 | Health & Science | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Dinosaurs appeared about 230 million years ago and became the dominant land animals before an asteroid struck Earth 66 million years ago, causing a mass extinction. A report by NDTV examines whether mammals played a role in the scarcity of tiny dinosaur species. The question concerns how dinosaurs and early mammals shared ancient ecosystems, although the available account does not establish that mammals were the cause. Dinosaurs held sway on land for most of their history, but their reign ended with the asteroid impact. The report presents the mammal theory as a possibility, not a settled explanation for dinosaur body sizes. ## Coverage - ndtv.com Tags: dinosaurs, evolution, mammals, palaeontology Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/mammals-may-explain-why-tiny-dinosaurs-were-rare/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/mammals-may-explain-why-tiny-dinosaurs-were-rare/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.