Scientists Think Dinosaurs Could Have Survived

STATES CHRONICLE – Scientists claim that dinosaurs could have still been around if the asteroid responsible with their demise had hit Earth at a different time. They think that not the size of the asteroid, but the timing at which it struck our planet 66 million years ago led to the disappearance of the huge animals. This hypothesis will be presented in a documentary scheduled to air next Monday on BBC2.

Researchers studied the crater formed after the asteroid collision

Ben Garrod is an evolutionary biologist who studied the great impact which drove dinosaurs extinct and found something interesting. He claims that neither the force of the impact nor the size of the cosmic object had this terrible effect on the planet. In fact, it was the time at which it occurred.

The impact led to the formation of Chicxulub crater in Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Garrod, together with other scientists, drilled into the crater and analyzed it. Garrod’s theory, together with their other findings, are gathered in the BBC documentary called “The Day the Dinosaurs Died”.

Dinosaurs could have survived if the timing was different

The other scientists back up Garrod’s theory. After the analysis of the crater, they think that the result would have been different if the asteroid had hit at a different time. Even if it had struck Earth several moments earlier or later than it did, the planet would have suffered less.

For instance, if the asteroid had landed in the Pacific or Atlantic Ocean, much less rock would have been vaporized. Therefore, there would have been less toxic gypsum in the atmosphere. A thinner cloud would have allowed sunlight to reach the land, and dinosaurs wouldn’t have run out of food.

Besides, scientists discovered that the asteroid hit Earth at a speed of 40,000 mph. The hole it made was 120 miles wide and 20 miles deep, but more details will be revealed in the documentary which airs at 9 p.m. on Monday, on BBC2.
Image Source: Wikipedia