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The origin of the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago has been revealed

  • August 18, 2024
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About 66 million years ago, a massive asteroid slammed into Earth, setting off a chain of events that is thought to have led to the extinction of the

The origin of the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago has been revealed

About 66 million years ago, a massive asteroid slammed into Earth, setting off a chain of events that is thought to have led to the extinction of the non-avian dinosaurs. A new study sheds light on the asteroid’s origins.


A group of researchers led by Dr. Mario Fischer-Gödde measured ruthenium isotopes in impact deposits from the Chickshulub Crater and compared them to various classes of meteorites.

They discovered that the asteroid that hit the dinosaurs was a carbonaceous chondrite that formed in the outer solar system. Analysis of other ancient craters showed a similar composition, meaning these objects also came from the outer solar system. But younger craters were left by silicon asteroids in the interior of our system.

A new study confirms the theory that an asteroid fell, while in recent years the idea that a comet fragment fell to Earth 66 million years ago has been actively spreading.

Source: Port Altele

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