Scientists on the trail of the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs

Scientists are delving into the geological record to identify the precise nature of the celestial body that wiped out 75% of Earth's species 66 million years ago. New analyses of the thin global geological layer marking this cataclysmic event point towards a specific category of meteorites, which are relatively rare.

The impact, caused by an asteroid approximately 10 kilometers in diameter, struck Earth at immense speed. Even before impact, the event likely generated a colossal shockwave, heating the atmosphere to thousands of degrees and causing a flash brighter than thousands of suns. This intense radiation and heat probably annihilated terrestrial life for hundreds of kilometers before the asteroid even hit the ground.

The asteroid struck shallow waters off the coast of modern-day Yucatan, Mexico, leaving behind a crater over 180 kilometers wide. The impact triggered a global tsunami, the scale of which researchers are still trying to determine. This catastrophic event fundamentally altered life on Earth, leading to the extinction of the dinosaurs and paving the way for the rise of mammals.