Meteorite impact that killed dinosaurs described in vivid detail
The Story
A new account by two scientists describes the sequence of events during the meteorite impact that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. The report notes that within a week, the world cooled by 5°C and a severe winter lasted over a decade, eliminating about 75% of all species. The authors also suggest that current carbon emissions could lead to a similar planetary catastrophe.
Key Facts
- The first sign of the impact would have been a new star visible for about a week before the event.
- Near the impact site, living creatures would have seen a bright fireball, heard crackling noise, experienced a sonic boom, and been swiftly incinerated.
- Within five minutes, 100-metre-high mega tsunamis rolled across the Gulf of Mexico, combining with overheating, earthquakes, hurricanes, and fires to wipe out everything within a 1,200-mile (2,000km) radius.
- Dinosaurs on the other side of the world were initially oblivious, but within an hour dust circled the planet and skies darkened.
- Within a day, global temperatures dropped, and by the end of the week the world was 5°C cooler.
- A ferocious winter lasting more than a decade eliminated about 75% of all species.
Conflicting Reports
No conflicting reports identified in the source article.
Still Unclear
No open questions identified in the source article.
Misconceptions
No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.
Key Figures
- Michael Benton – University of Bristol
- Monica Grady – Open University
Sources
- The Guardian — Primary Source (single-source story)
