5 Questions
What event made way for the rise of mammals?
The KT extinction
What conditions were present in the channels after the asteroid impact?
Hot at first, then warm and damp
What is the significance of the Chicxulub crater?
It gives us a glimpse into the conditions on ancient, lifeless Earth
What is the role of asteroids in the origins of life?
They could have provided the ingredients for life to begin
What is the goal of NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission?
To search for clues about the origins of life on Earth
Study Notes
KT Extinction and the Rise of Mammals
- The KT extinction event led to the rise of mammals
- The extinction event also created a network of channels filled with warm water
Origin of Life on Earth
- The KT extinction event provides insights into the conditions present on ancient, lifeless Earth
- The asteroid crater suggests that life could have begun in "warm little ponds" with minerals mixing with water and organic molecules
- Asteroids are rich in organic compounds that could have provided the ingredients for life to begin
- Asteroid impacts could have created warm, wet, mineral-rich niches, similar to Darwin's "warm little ponds"
NASA's OSIRIS-REx Mission
- NASA's OSIRIS-REx is currently searching asteroid Bennu for clues on whether asteroids helped life begin on Earth
- Scientists suggest asteroid Bennu could collide with Earth in the 22nd century
- The mission aims to uncover the origins of life on Earth, which existed billions of years before the dinosaurs
Learn about the KT extinction event, its impact on life on Earth, and the recent discoveries that shed light on the origins of life.
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