How did a meteor wipe out the dinosaurs?

Debris from the explosion was thrown into the atmosphere, severely altering the climate, and leading to the extinction of roughly 3/4 of species that existed at that time, including the dinosaurs. Many asteroids of this type are now known; their orbits pass through the inner solar system and cross Earth’s orbit.

How did alligators survive the meteor?

Crocodiles survived the asteroid strike that wiped out the dinosaurs thanks to their ‘versatile’ and ‘efficient’ body shape, that allowed them to cope with the enormous environmental changes triggered by the impact, according to new research.

Did crocodiles survive dinosaur extinction?

Crocodiles survived the asteroid strike that wiped out the dinosaurs thanks to their ‘versatile’ and ‘efficient’ body shape, that allowed them to cope with the enormous environmental changes triggered by the impact, according to new research. Crocodiles can thrive in or out of water and live in complete darkness.

Did the dinosaurs die because of an asteroid?

The theory that the dinosaurs died out because of an asteroid collision goes back to the early 1980s when Walter and Luis Alvarez , a father-and-son team of geologists, discovered a layer of iridium , a rare mineral, in a sedimentary layer formed 65 million years ago.

What dinosaurs were killed by the asteroid?

Scientists have long believed that an asteroid killed off the dinosaurs about 65 million years ago. They hypothesized that the asteroid collision caused clouds of dust, earthquakes, fire and heat that was cataclysmic.

Which asteroid killed the dinosaurs?

An artist’s rendering of the Chicxulub asteroid impact that killed off most of the dinosaurs from 1994. Credit: Donald E. Davis/ NASA /JPL. The Chicxulub asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs likely released far more climate-altering sulfur gas into the atmosphere than originally thought, according to new research.

Where did the asteroid that killed dinosaurs come from?

Dinosaurs were killed off by Isle of Wight-sized asteroid, scientists say. It crashed into the Earth in what is now Mexico, at Chicxulub , off the Yucatán peninsula. Dr Gareth Collins, one of the scientists from Imperial College London, said: “The asteroid was about the size of the Isle of Wight and hit Earth 20 times faster than a speeding bullet.