Origin of the asteroid that wiped out dinosaurs revealed

New scientific research has revealed unprecedented details about the space rock responsible for the mass extinction that eliminated three quarters of Earth's species 66 million years ago, including the dinosaurs. The impact created the Chicxulub crater on the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico and left traces that continue to be investigated by scientists worldwide.

The composition of the space rock

New analyses of residues preserved in a clay layer indicate that the impact was caused by a rare type of meteorite known as a CO chondrite, belonging to the carbonaceous chondrite family. These materials are among the most primitive and untouched in the entire solar system. The rock was between 10 and 15 kilometres wide and traveled at an estimated speed of 64,000 kilometres per hour.

The origin beyond Jupiter

Studies based on ruthenium isotopes collected from samples in various countries suggest that the asteroid formed beyond the planet Jupiter. This discovery sets the object apart from other impacts more closely linked to silicate asteroids formed nearer the Sun, clarifying a long‑standing question about the rock's provenance.

Factors of the mass extinction

Identifying the material helped researchers understand what made the impact so lethal. CO chondrites contain relatively small amounts of sulfur compared with other meteorite classes, which influences theories about the main drivers of the cataclysm. Scientists point out that the fine dust and debris lofted into the atmosphere were the primary factor in blocking sunlight and consequently destroying food chains.

Monitoring current threats

Despite the historic gravity of the Chicxulub event, impacts of this magnitude occur on geological timescales and are extremely rare. The Sentry system and global defense programs maintain continuous observations to track near‑Earth objects, and NASA data indicate there is no evidence of a significant asteroid threat for the coming century.

With information from SciTechDaily, ECOticias.com ‘El Periódico Verde’, Корабелов.ІНФО.