Dino Extinction Paved Way for Grapes—and Wine—to ‘Spread Across the World
Source-Newsweek The extinction of the dinosaurs around 66 million years ago marked a significant turning point not just for the animal kingdom but also for plant life. Recent research published in the journal Nature Plants suggests that this cataclysmic event may have facilitated the global spread of grapes , ultimately paving the way for the cultivation of wine. This groundbreaking study, released on Monday, provides new insights into the evolutionary history of the grape family (Vitaceae) and its remarkable journey across the world. A team of scientists, led by Fabiany Herrera, an assistant curator of paleobotany at the Field Museum in Chicago’s Negaunee Integrative Research Center, has described nine new species of fossil grapes from regions including Colombia, Peru, and Panama. These fossils, dating from 60 to 19 million years ago, offer a fascinating glimpse into the post-dinosaur world and how plant life adapted and thrived in the new ecological landscape. Among these ...