Scientists describe dinosaur-killer meteorite impact in vivid detail
The Story
Writing in The Conversation, Michael Benton of the University of Bristol and Monica Grady of the Open University provide a detailed account of the meteorite impact that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. They describe a sequence of events starting with a new star visible for a week, followed by a fireball, sonic boom, and incineration near the impact site. The event ultimately led to a global winter that lasted more than a decade and eliminated about 75% of all species.
Key Facts
- The first sign would have been a new star visible for about a week before the impact.
- Near the impact site, all living creatures would have seen the bright fireball, heard its crackling noise, and experienced a sonic boom before being swiftly incinerated.
- Five minutes after impact, 100-metre-high mega tsunamis rolled across the Gulf of Mexico.
- Combined with overheating, earthquakes, hurricanes, and fires, everything within a 1,200-mile (2,000km) radius was wiped out.
- Within an hour, dust had circled the planet and skies had darkened.
- Within a day, global temperatures were dropping; by the end of the week the world was 5C cooler.
- A ferocious winter lasted for more than a decade, eliminating about 75% of all species.
- Our ancestors were among the lucky survivors.
- Benton and Grady suggest that humanity’s penchant for burning carbon is setting the scene for a similar scale of planetary catastrophe.
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
- The Conversation (publication where the account appeared)
Sources: The Guardian
