The extinction of the dinosaurs has always been an intriguing subject. From theories of a super-volcanic eruption to a deadly disease that wiped out all species of dinosaurs, a lot has been raised. One theory that has gained attention over the years is that an asteroid impact killed all non-avian dinosaurs. While there has been inconclusive evidence to suggest this theory, a group of scientists in Texas may have just found actual evidence for the incident. They found evidence in the form of asteroid dust inside the impact crater of the supposed asteroid that killed the ancient giants.
Imagine this – 66 million years ago and a massive impact shakes the Earth, clouds of dust cover the sky, there is no sun for weeks, which is followed by global winter. This happened when the asteroid hit the 125-mile-wide Chicxulub impact crater under the Gulf of Mexico.
This theory was recently tested using a complete chemical “fingerprint” of the asteroid dust found in the crater. Almost 3,000 feet of rock core from the crater buried under the seabed was collected for the study. The in-depth study analyzes the impact, consequences and recovery of life after the collision.
Also read: Comet killed dinosaurs, not asteroid, study finds
It was the element iridium that helped solve the mystery. Rare on Earth, but found in abundance in most asteroids. A surge of iridium in the geological layers is one of the reasons behind the theory of the impact of asteroids.
They believe the dust pushed by the impact circulated the atmosphere for nearly two decades, and that was the time that nearly 75% of land species, including non-avian dinosaurs, lasted for extinction. The highest iridium concentration was in a 5-centimeter section of the rock core recovered from the top of the crater tip ring.
In addition, other chemical evidence was also found to confirm the theory of the impact of asteroids. The full study can be found in Science Advances.