Asteroid That Wiped Out Dinosaurs Was Giant Mud Ball, Study Shows

Experts largely agree on what led to the extinction of dinosaurs. They believe it was the impact of a massive asteroid near Chicxulub, Mexico, about 66 million years ago. But questions remain about that space missile. The main question: If it was so huge, where did it go? 

A new study suggests a possible answer: everywhere. The findings were published last week in the journal Nature.

“When the thing hits the target, it will more than explode; it will be vaporized," study coauthor Dr. Steven Goderis told CNN. He's a professor at Vrije Universiteit Brussel. "There’s nothing left except for this chemical trace that is deposited all around the globe.” 

One chemical stood out to Goderis’ team. They found traces of the metal ruthenium at dig sites around the world. It was found in the layer of soil dated to 66 million years ago. Ruthenium is quite rare on Earth. But, it’s common in asteroids. That's especially true for chondrite asteroids. They tend to be giant balls of clay-like mud.  

Experts think the chondrite asteroid that did in the dinosaurs was between 6-9 miles wide. It likely hit earth traveling 55,800 miles per hour. When it hit, it disintegrated. The impact sent a massive plume of clay dust and ruthenium high into the skies. That stifled sunlight and choked off plant life. Over time, the dinosaurs starved. It also led to a major drop in global temperatures and happened during a time of more volcanic activity. Those factors combined meant most large dinos didn’t stand a chance.    

Goderis believes we must keep studying the Chicxulub asteroid. He says it is vital to protecting Earth from future strikes, too. “We need to learn about this to have a corresponding response,” he told CNN.

Reflect: Why do you think it's important for scientists to study events from the past?

Gif of asteroid hitting the Earth from GIPHY.