Dinosaur-killing space rock 'was a comet', page 1

posted on Mar, 22 2013 @ 01:48 PM

link

The space rock that hit Earth 65 million years ago and is widely implicated in the end of the dinosaurs was likely a speeding comet. That is the conclusion of research which suggests the 180km-wide Chicxulub crater in Mexico was carved out by a smaller object than previously thought. Many scientists consider a large and relatively slow moving asteroid to have been the likely culprit.

the team suggests that frequently quoted iridium values are incorrect. Using a comparison with another extraterrestrial element deposited in the impact - osmium - they were able to deduce that the collision deposited less debris than has previously been supposed. The recalculated iridium value suggests a smaller body hit the Earth. So for the second part of their work, the researchers took the new figure and attempted to reconcile it with the known physical properties of the Chicxulub impact.

www.bbc.co.uk...

Well that clears that up. Smaller, more energy, nasty little things! Stay away !

edit on 22-3-2013 by canucks555 because: (no reason given)

1Providence1

posted on Mar, 22 2013 @ 01:53 PM

link

reply to post by canucks555

So a 5 km diameter asteroid or a.... x km diameter comet. I wonder what the number is?

Vasa Croe

posted on Mar, 22 2013 @ 01:57 PM

link

Originally posted by 1Providence1
reply to post by canucks555

So a 5 km diameter asteroid or a.... x km diameter comet. I wonder what the number is?

Well.....the nucleus of ISON is supposed to be 20km across. Comets are typically very large.