Scientists Say Dinosaurs Missed Possible Survival By Moments
- 7 years ago
Experts suspect that about 66 million years ago, a massive asteroid hit the Earth. According to recent research, had it made contact moments before or after, dinosaurs might have survived.
Experts suspect that about 66 million years ago, a massive asteroid hit the Earth, plunging the planet into freezing temps and ultimately wiping out the dinosaur population.
According to recent research, had it made contact moments before or after, the prehistoric creatures might have survived, reports the BBC.
The international team of scientists made these remarks after drilling nearly a mile into the strike crater, which is located off what is now Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.
Sean Gulick, one of the team members, noted, “That asteroid struck [our planet] in a very unfortunate place.” Gulick further explained, “The Yucatan area had rocks like gypsum, which are rich in sulphur. The asteroid vaporised them and threw them into the air, creating a cloud that blanketed the planet and cooled it down.”
The dinosaurs that didn’t die immediately due to molten rock falling from the sky or tsunamis eventually succumbed to starvation, as their food sources couldn’t flourish in the suddenly colder climate.
Ben Garrod, another scientist involved in the research, noted, “Had the asteroid struck moments earlier or later, it might have hit deep water in the Atlantic or Pacific. That would have meant much less vaporised rock. Sunlight could still have reached the planet’s surface, meaning what happened next might have been avoided."
Notably, while that would have been great for dinosaurs, it would have been bad for humans, as we would not likely exist.
An extended account of the research endeavor and its conclusions can be found in the BBC documentary ‘The Day The Dinosaurs Died,’ which airs Monday on BBC Two.
Experts suspect that about 66 million years ago, a massive asteroid hit the Earth, plunging the planet into freezing temps and ultimately wiping out the dinosaur population.
According to recent research, had it made contact moments before or after, the prehistoric creatures might have survived, reports the BBC.
The international team of scientists made these remarks after drilling nearly a mile into the strike crater, which is located off what is now Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.
Sean Gulick, one of the team members, noted, “That asteroid struck [our planet] in a very unfortunate place.” Gulick further explained, “The Yucatan area had rocks like gypsum, which are rich in sulphur. The asteroid vaporised them and threw them into the air, creating a cloud that blanketed the planet and cooled it down.”
The dinosaurs that didn’t die immediately due to molten rock falling from the sky or tsunamis eventually succumbed to starvation, as their food sources couldn’t flourish in the suddenly colder climate.
Ben Garrod, another scientist involved in the research, noted, “Had the asteroid struck moments earlier or later, it might have hit deep water in the Atlantic or Pacific. That would have meant much less vaporised rock. Sunlight could still have reached the planet’s surface, meaning what happened next might have been avoided."
Notably, while that would have been great for dinosaurs, it would have been bad for humans, as we would not likely exist.
An extended account of the research endeavor and its conclusions can be found in the BBC documentary ‘The Day The Dinosaurs Died,’ which airs Monday on BBC Two.