Asteroid Impacts and Dinosaurs

Asteroid Impact and Survival

• Theoretically, humans can survive an asteroid impact, but it would not be easy.

The Late Cretaceous Period

• 66 million years ago, the Earth was thriving with dinosaurs, rich and diverse plant and animal life.
• Notable dinosaurs included the T-Rex, Triceratops, and Alamosaurus, one of the largest animals to roam the planet.

The Chixalub Asteroid

• The asteroid appeared in the sky as a new star, initially not standing out, but growing brighter over time.
• The asteroid entered the Earth's atmosphere at 12.5 m/s, blasting through 60 Mi of atmosphere in 3 seconds.
• The air was squashed and heated to thousands of degrees, vaporizing the sea near the Yucatan Peninsula.
• The asteroid impact created a massive crater, excavating a hole nearly touching the Earth's inner layers.
• The impact threw up dirt over 20 M high, releasing massive energy that heated molecules to move faster than the Sun's surface.

Effects of the Impact

• A giant ball of plasma, including vaporized rock, was created, shooting out at incredible speeds.
• The shockwave and heat turned the Earth around the crash site into gas, triggering earthquakes worldwide.
• Rocks flying through the sky heated up, setting fires globally, with temperatures comparable to an oven at its highest setting.
• The resulting fiery shower caused most of the world's trees to burn down, with the entire world on fire.

Extinction and Survival

• The asteroid impact led to the extinction of 75% of species, including dinosaurs, with only some small birds and critters surviving.
• To survive, humans can learn from the resilience of animals that made it, such as birds nesting safely on the ground.
• Larger animals that survived had ways to deal with the heat, such as digging into cooler underground burrows or hiding in water.