Sunday, March 07, 2010

Did We Ever Agree on What Killed the Dinosaurs??

Asteroid impact.
Kids love dinosaurs; one of the mysteries of the world.
T Rex.
Tyrannosaurus Rex, a well known and favorite carnivorous dinosaur.
A mound covered in dinosaur bones in north east China's Shandong province, the world's largest grouping of fossils, including over three thousand dinosaur footprints.

Fossilized bones of a newly discovered species of carnivorous dinosaur, found in China,
an ancestor of present day birds. Below is a scientists' conception of the fleshed out dinosaur.
A recently discovered carnivorous dinosaur
Scientists Have finally concluded once and for all that an asteroid hit killed the dinosaurs worldwide. An all-star panel of researchers says it was the impact of a giant asteroid in Mexico that killed off the dinosaurs and left us with only a few bones and fossils with which to reconstruct the past.
Think you've heard that before? You're right. It's an age old debate. In 1980, Louis Alvarez and his son Walter published a paper blaming the dinosaur extinction 65 million years ago on an asteroid crashing into the earth with the force of a billion atomic bombs. The probable crater was later found at Chicxulub, Mexico, and the idea gained wide scientific acceptance.
In the past few years, however, suggestions were made that the demise of the dinosaurs might have been caused by the eruption of volcanoes, known as the Deccan Traps, in India, or multiple asteroid impacts.

These conflicting theories prompted 41 geologists, paleontologists and other researchers to come together to review the data. Their conclusion, published in Friday's edition of the journal Science: A giant asteroid struck Chicxulub twenty times faster than a speeding bullet, exploding into a deadly mix of hot rock and gas that blasted a cloud of dust, gas, smoke and debris around the world, changing the environment irrevocably. These circumstances led to the tragic end of the dinosaurs.
The argument for multiple impacts isn't supported by worldwide data, and the Deccan eruptions actually began 400,000 years before the end of the dinosaurs,according to Kirk Johnson of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.

Let's hope this old debate is finally put to rest. It stands to reason that it was one cataclysmic event that ended a great era and gave birth to another from which we rose to rule the world.

2 comments:

  1. Hi PIC,
    Saturday's open house was great and cheered Brian up tremendously. A lot of people came and talked to him and made him feel good. We ate a lot of good food and had some laughs. When he got tired he went back to to bed.Some people thought it was still open house on Sunday and we had a full house again.This time it was a little too much for Brian and he had to lay down earlier.I think he is a bit stronger though. We go back to the kidney surgeon on Thursday for an evaluation.
    I just finished watching the Academy awards.I was glad James Cameron didn't win for best producer or best picture. He looked so smug, like he was expecting to win and was bored with the whole thing.It was great to see a woman win for best director.

    The warm weather continues up here and people are throwing off their boots and parkas. I know it won't last.The aliens are just playing cruel tricks on us. Maybe they are responsble for global warming too....HA!

    Well ,be good and keep your knickers on.....PIC

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  2. Anonymous3:46:00 PM

    Hi PIC
    I am so happy you was able to have the open house for Brian...
    It's good to know he is getting better each day and he's in good spirits.
    Everyone got to see him for a little time, that made each of them feel better to see how he's doing for themselves, what a blessing to see and know how far Brian has come. The "ROCK" will do well with his kidney checkup Thursday. Sweetie, the road to recovery may seem like a long one, but this one too, you and your man will over-come this one two.
    You always said ...your Brain is a tough guy and sweetie he's showing the world. Maybe those little aliens will let the weather be warm and sunny Thursday for the trip to the doctors, now that will be nice...so glad to hear Brian's holding his own.
    We are praying everything turn out great for Jakey also and this is his year also.
    Watch a little of the Awards, I was glad Bigelow won, she deserved it. James Cameron is a smug old bastard, if you think that was something, you should see him in person.
    So glad things went well....sweetie it will get better, just watch and see.
    So glad to hear everything turned out good....PIC

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