End of an Era

Article | Updated 10 years ago

An asteroid impact unleashed a series of cataclysmic events, ending the reign of dinosaurs.

Some 66 million years ago, an asteroid, estimated to have been 10 kilometres across, smashed into what is now a coastal area of Mexico. The impact generated an enormous shock wave and tidal waves reached far inland. Glowing debris from the impact was catapulted back into space only to be pulled back by the Earth’s gravity. The returning debris generated an intense heat pulse as it rained down which may have been strong enough to cause global fire storms.

Mass extinction

The initial mayhem was followed by darkness and falling temperatures as dust and condensed sulphuric acid spread throughout the atmosphere, drastically reducing sunlight for years. The photosynthesis of plants and algae slowed down and many organisms, including all dinosaurs except birds, died out.