Scientists believe they now know where the dinosaur-killing asteroid came from
Scientists identified the asteroid that caused the dinosaur extinction as a carbonaceous chondrite from beyond Jupiter, using ruthenium isotopes to confirm its origin and composition.
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Scientists have identified the origin of the asteroid that caused the mass extinction event 66 million years ago, which led to the demise of the dinosaurs. A recent study published in the journal Science reveals that the asteroid was a carbonaceous chondrite, approximately 10 to 15 kilometers in diameter, originating from beyond Jupiter. The impact, which occurred off the coast of the Yucatán Peninsula, resulted in a massive explosion and significant geological changes. Researchers analyzed isotopes of ruthenium, a rare element, to trace the asteroid's composition. The isotopic signatures found in samples from the K-Pg boundary closely matched those of carbonaceous meteorites, providing strong evidence against the asteroid being a comet. The study's lead author, Mario Fischer-Gödde, emphasized the significance of these findings, suggesting that the impact was a rare cosmic event that shaped the course of life on Earth. Other experts, including Paul Wiegert, have praised the study for its convincing argument and the rarity of ruthenium in solar system objects, further supporting the conclusion that the asteroid was indeed a C-type asteroid.
- The asteroid that killed the dinosaurs was a carbonaceous chondrite from beyond Jupiter.
- The impact created a massive explosion and significant geological changes on Earth.
- Researchers used ruthenium isotopes to trace the asteroid's origin and composition.
- The study provides strong evidence against the asteroid being a comet.
- The findings highlight the rarity of such cosmic events in Earth's history.
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1 comments" Our data indicate that the Chicxulub impactor was a carbonaceous-type asteroid, which had formed beyond the orbit of Jupiter. The five other impact structures have isotopic signatures that are more consistent with siliceous-type asteroids, which formed closer to the Sun. The ancient spherule layer samples are consistent with impacts of carbonaceous-type asteroids during Earth’s final stages of accretion. "
The link to the paper itself: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adk4868
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