Around 66 million years ago an asteroid hit the earth, causing the extinction of the dinosaurs…well most of them. Scientists have found traces of this asteroid, the Chicxulub Impactor. They think they may be able to find out where it came from, and how it could help us.
From Fierce To Fossil
66 million years ago, the dinosaurs woke up to a day that they did not expect. An asteroid, now named the Chicxulub Impactor, hit the Earth at an alarming speed. After an estimated 180 million years the dinosaur era came to an end. The Chicxulub Impactor is estimated to be around 6.2 to 9.3 miles wide.
Whispers Of The Wild
The dinosaurs were not the only animals wiped out by this natural disaster. Around 75% of nature was destroyed and did not survive the event. The asteroid hit at such a high speed that the surrounding area was destroyed upon impact. The destruction sent out a heatwave, soot covering the Earth. Due to the amount of soot, the Sun was partially covered, preventing plants’ ability to photosynthesize. This resulted in a large impact on the food chain.
The Final Breath
In a chain of effects, the ecosystem fell apart. With fewer plants, herbivores had less food, causing carnivores to have less food. Everything in the natural world was sent out of order, breeding was harder, seasons shorter, and extinction a common occurrence. This event marked the end of an era and the start of a new world.
More Than The Bang
At this time there were a lot of other disasters happening around the world. We cannot blame these extinctions entirely on the Chicxulub Impactor. Unrelated to the asteroid, volcanic reactions were taking place in various places, including what is now central India. These volcanic events happened over 2 million years ago, this had a large impact on climate change.
Survival of The Fittest
True to Darwin’s Theory, only the fittest would survive. The species with the largest survivors were the birds, such as ostriches, puffins, and chickens. Other survivors of the Chicxulub Impactor were the crocodiles and alligators. I guess they do look quite dinosaur-like. The K-T extinction (the Cretaceous-Tertiary Extinction) survivors may not look as now as they did then. They have evolved and adapted as the world around them changes.
Science and Space Rocks
Upon impact the asteroid shattered into millions of pieces, throwing shards for miles. After collecting various samples, scientists believe that, based on tests and examinations, they can tell where the Chicxulub Impactor came from. Ruthenium is an element that is not particularly common on Earth but is often seen in asteroids. This element could help scientists discover the origins of the Chicxulub Impactor.
The Ins and Outs of Space
Ruthenium is a useful element for telling whether this asteroid came from inner or outer solar systems. How far did this asteroid travel to cause mass destruction? Scientists found that the Chicxulub Impactor was formed in the outer solar system. Back in the day Jupiter relocated yearly, because of this the gravitational pull brought forward asteroids, dragging them closer to the Sun. The Chicxulub Impactor was drawn to the inner solar system this way, being here long before it smashed onto Earth.
The Race Against Time
There is so much of the universe left unknown and although these types of asteroids are not as common, NASA is doing all they can to learn more about them. With more learned about the Chicxulub Impactor, scientists can understand how to prevent another mass extinction in the future. On the other hand, the earth knows how to look after itself. The land knows more about anything than we do, perhaps a mass extinction is what would be best. This, however, is a far look into the future. For now, we need to focus on saving what we have before any other natural/manmade disasters occur.
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