Discovery: It Wasn't a Comet that Wiped Out the Dinosaurs, and It Didn't Come from Jupiter

The Latest Findings

A new study published in the journal Science has found that the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs did not come from Jupiter, as previously thought. Instead, it came from the outer solar system, and it was much larger than scientists had previously estimated.

Key Points

• The asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs was not a comet.
• It came from the outer solar system.
• It was much larger than scientists had previously estimated.

The Evidence

The study's authors used a new technique to analyze the composition of the Chicxulub crater, which was formed by the asteroid impact. They found that the crater contained a high concentration of iridium, which is a rare metal that is found in asteroids. This suggests that the asteroid that hit the Earth was an asteroid, not a comet.

The authors also found that the Chicxulub crater was much larger than previously thought. The new estimate is that the crater is 150 miles wide, which is 50 miles wider than the previous estimate.

The Implications

The new findings have important implications for our understanding of the extinction of the dinosaurs. They suggest that the asteroid that hit the Earth was much larger and more powerful than previously thought. This means that the impact would have had a much greater impact on the Earth's climate and environment.

The findings also suggest that the asteroid that hit the Earth did not come from Jupiter. This is because Jupiter's gravity would have prevented an asteroid from being ejected from the planet's orbit.

Conclusion

The new study provides important new insights into the extinction of the dinosaurs. The findings suggest that the asteroid that hit the Earth was much larger and more powerful than previously thought, and that it did not come from Jupiter.