Confirmed... Asteroid caused the dinosaur mass extinction.
Discussion
Narrowing the date bands has not changed current thinking its just helped clear up a sticking point.
Current thinking is
A) Ecosystems currently stressed
B) Many animals highly specialized, which is linked to Dinosaurs being so big
C) Massive Asteroid impact creates sudden change in ecosystems
D) Dinosaurs and other species die out
Previously the gap between C and D was 300,000 years which was a pain but not too much of an issue, 11,000 years is as the link suggests is right on the money as far as the accuracy of the test goes which is a better fit but not specifically needed. The problem is that the current theories can not explain why other species did not die out as well, for example fish species hardly got touched with 80% making it, yet the species at the bottom of their food chain were badly effected, there are lots of ideas but none of them can really be proved without a time machine. One of the theories that did get a big boost is the scavenger theory as some species (such as Alligators) now no longer need to eat the dead remains of extinct animals for 300,000 years. The fact there is a gap in our understanding does not mean that the Asteroid was not the main cause, it was, its just not the full story.
There have been bigger extinction events, Permian–Triassic extinction event caused 96% of all species to become extinct. This appears to have not needed an Asteroid and was simply due to increase competition caused by the continents forming into one big landmass. Did not have Dinosaurs back then thou so know one cares about it.
Current thinking is
A) Ecosystems currently stressed
B) Many animals highly specialized, which is linked to Dinosaurs being so big
C) Massive Asteroid impact creates sudden change in ecosystems
D) Dinosaurs and other species die out
Previously the gap between C and D was 300,000 years which was a pain but not too much of an issue, 11,000 years is as the link suggests is right on the money as far as the accuracy of the test goes which is a better fit but not specifically needed. The problem is that the current theories can not explain why other species did not die out as well, for example fish species hardly got touched with 80% making it, yet the species at the bottom of their food chain were badly effected, there are lots of ideas but none of them can really be proved without a time machine. One of the theories that did get a big boost is the scavenger theory as some species (such as Alligators) now no longer need to eat the dead remains of extinct animals for 300,000 years. The fact there is a gap in our understanding does not mean that the Asteroid was not the main cause, it was, its just not the full story.
There have been bigger extinction events, Permian–Triassic extinction event caused 96% of all species to become extinct. This appears to have not needed an Asteroid and was simply due to increase competition caused by the continents forming into one big landmass. Did not have Dinosaurs back then thou so know one cares about it.
PlankWithANailIn said:
here have been bigger extinction events, Permian–Triassic extinction event caused 96% of all species to become extinct. This appears to have not needed an Asteroid and was simply due to increase competition caused by the continents forming into one big landmass. Did not have Dinosaurs back then thou so know one cares about it.
Quite, that one was a doozie. That's when all the Triazplozoids were wiped out, but no-one knows about them...yet.
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