There are likely multiple versions of the story of the world's end, and an asteroid impact directly causing mass extinction is just one of them. Was the large-scale climate change that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs caused by volcanic eruptions or an asteroid impact? Scientists have debated this question for decades. With further research, increasing evidence confirms that an asteroid impact caused the extinction of the dinosaurs.
New research suggests that a catastrophic asteroid impact 66 million years ago may have triggered a massive volcanic eruption deep in the ocean, which in turn caused a series of natural disasters, including wildfires, cooling, and acid rain. All of these unfortunate events combined to wipe out more than 70% of life on Earth, including dinosaurs.
In the movie "Armageddon," humanity uses spacecraft to deliver nuclear warheads to destroy an asteroid that is about to collide with Earth in order to prevent it from hitting the planet.
There are many hypotheses about the extinction of dinosaurs. To date, besides the comet impact theory, there are more than 20 other conclusions regarding the extinction of dinosaurs! These include: climate change theory, racial struggle theory, continental drift theory, geomagnetic change theory, plant poisoning theory, acid rain theory, orogenic movement theory, volcanic eruption theory, ocean receding tide theory, warm-blooded animal theory, temperature-related sex theory, species aging theory, alkaloid theory, reproductive frustration theory, sudden temperature change theory, atmospheric change theory, meteor shower impact theory, gravity change theory, and so on.
Ten hypotheses about the reasons for the extinction of dinosaurs : as follows
1. Merge Event
Some theories suggest that the various factors that led to the extinction of dinosaurs occurred simultaneously. For example, an asteroid impact followed by massive volcanic eruptions could have caused the extinction of dinosaurs, or a super hurricane could have occurred, and the high temperatures of a global storm could have caused the extinction of dinosaurs.
2. Volcanic eruption
One theory suggests that a severe volcanic eruption occurred at the time, causing a large amount of sulfur to enter the atmosphere, leading to global warming, ocean acidification, and ultimately the extinction of the dinosaurs.
3. A comet impacts Earth.
One theory suggests that the impact on Earth was not from an asteroid, but from a comet. A comet impact would have caused more dust and debris to enter the atmosphere, leading to the extinction of the dinosaurs.
4. Emergence of new diseases
Some scientists believe that a new disease emerged at that time, preventing dinosaurs from developing an immune system and ultimately leading to their extinction.
5. Water level changes
Some professors believe that changes in ocean levels can also greatly affect terrestrial species, potentially leading to the extinction of dinosaurs.
6. Continental Drift
Existential theory suggests that the extinction of dinosaurs was related to continental drift, which caused drastic changes in their living environment, leading to their gradual extinction.
7. Competition among mammals
At that time, dinosaurs and mammals already existed. Mammals did not need to lay eggs and consumed less food. Therefore, dinosaurs ultimately failed to compete with mammals, leading to their extinction while mammals have survived to this day.
8. Super Hurricane
Scientists believe that an asteroid impact could have triggered a super hurricane in the ocean, which would have swept across the globe at speeds of 600 miles per hour and wiped out the dinosaurs.
9. Global Storm
Many scientists believe that the extinction of dinosaurs was caused by an asteroid impact that broke up rock particles into sand, creating an extremely high temperature of 1482 degrees Celsius, which then spread throughout the world.
10. Asteroid impact on Earth
Iridium is a rare element in the Earth's crust, but it is a common element in planets. Researchers have found large amounts of iridium in Cretaceous sediments, leading them to infer that the extinction of dinosaurs may have been caused by an asteroid impact.
Did dinosaurs really disappear?
Even today, many people are curious: did dinosaurs really disappear in the mass extinction 66 million years ago? Regarding this question, some researchers believe that dinosaurs may not have been "completely wiped out," and some of them may have evolved into other creatures, following the law of natural selection and survival of the fittest.
