Gary Larson comic fact checked by Google

His classic cartoon about dinosaurs, extinction, and smoking isn't reality, don't you know. When did we lose our sense of humor?

I posted a Periodic Table of DEATH and Mystery about Iridium and dinosaur extinction, and googled the Larson comic because it’s hilarious. I got this straight from Google AI overview:

• The Cartoon: The iconic Far Side comic shows a smoking dinosaur pair, implying the long-term, self-destructive habit was the culprit.

• Scientific Reality: Geological evidence indicates a massive asteroid impact in the Yucatan Peninsula 66 million years ago caused widespread environmental change.

• While Gary Larson's humor provides a satirical take, the scientific consensus points to a catastrophic event, not smoking, as the cause of dinosaur extinction.

I haven’t checked Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, or the Great Pumpkin, but I have a feeling the answers will be sad.