The dinosaurs never actually went extinct. They’re still out there, living in the wilderness. We just can’t see them anymore because they don’t wish to be seen.

This was the only explanation that seemed to make sense. The idea that an entire class of animals could just be wiped off the face of the Earth was impossible to contemplate.<br><br>The concept that they were still out there, in forests and jungles and mountains, was comforting. The thought that they lived free in the wild, rather than on farms or in zoos, soothed our souls and allowed us to sleep better.<br><br>At first, we tried to find them. But we failed and failed, and eventually we had to admit defeat. They were gone, mostly. But not entirely. There were still those that claimed to have caught glimpses of them, out of the corner of their eye. Those who claimed to have seen them in the distance. Those who claimed to have found their footprints.<br><br>We partially believed them. It was too wonderful to not be true. And so we continued to live our lives as if they were still there, out in the wild. Watching us from afar, unseen and proud.<br><br>Now, when we look back, we realize that we created a myth. We overestimated how long dinosaurs lived for, and we failed to take into account the effects of nuclear testing on their habitats. We have created a species of imaginary creatures, like unicorns or dragons. Except we don’t even see them as imaginary anymore. We just see them as animals that remain elusive, like the otter or the kingfisher.<br><br>And even if we were to admit that they’re not real, that they’re not still out there, how would our children cope? They have grown up in a world where dinosaurs are not a relic of the past, but something that we might catch a glimpse of. How would they ever be able to grasp the reality of the world? How would they ever be able to accept it?<br><br>No. It’s easier to pretend that they’re still out there. We’ll let our children live with that belief. We’ll let them inherit that myth, and let it live on through them.