Giant kraken-like octopuses that used powerful beaks to crunch through bones of prey were among the most formidable predators of the Cretaceous oceans. Some ancient octopus species reached up to 19 metres in length, meaning they would have rivalled and possibly even preyed upon apex predators such as mosasaurs and plesiosaurs.
Scientists have long debated whether dinosaurs were in decline before an asteroid smacked the Earth 66 million years ago, causing mass extinction. New research suggests dinosaur populations were still thriving in North America before the asteroid strike, but it's only one piece of the global picture, independent experts say. Dinosaurs were quite diverse and now we know there were quite distinct communities roaming around before being abruptly wiped out, said Daniel Peppe, a study co-author and paleontologist at Baylor University.