2024-08-20 06:44:31
Washington: Dinosaurs ruled the Earth 66 million years ago. A meteorite is believed to be the reason behind their extinction, whose fall on the Earth caused such devastation that dinosaurs were wiped out from the entire Earth. A new study related to this has been published in the Science Journal on Thursday. In this, scientists told where the meteorite that wiped out the dinosaurs from the Earth came from. Researchers said that this meteorite was born far from the orbit of Jupiter. The fall of the meteorite created a huge crater in Mexico called the Chicxulub Crater. Most of it is in the sea. Scientists analyzed samples of the crater’s sediment, which revealed that it was a C-type asteroid. This refutes earlier claims, according to which it was not an asteroid but a comet. This study gives more information about the origin and impacts of celestial bodies on Earth. Researchers used a unique technique to measure isotopes of ruthenium in sediment samples at the time of impact. The element ruthenium is common in asteroids, but rare on Earth. This helped scientists confirm that the element in the samples came from the impact, specifically from the collision.
Where did the meteorite come from?
Mario Fischer-Gode, a geochemist at the University of Cologne, is the lead author of the study. He stressed the importance of his study’s findings. According to an AFP report, he said, “Based on all our information, we can say that this asteroid came from beyond Jupiter.” The findings are particularly important because collisions with this type of asteroid are rare. By understanding these events, we can avoid any such danger in the future. It may also provide clues to where water came from on Earth.
The meteorite was in the asteroid belt
Using ruthenium isotopes, researchers can distinguish between C-type carbonaceous meteorites from the outer solar system and S-type silicate meteorites from within the solar system. The study has confirmed that the meteorite that killed the dinosaurs was an organic meteorite formed beyond Jupiter. Earlier studies had also suggested this, but then there was very little accuracy. Gode said that most meteorites or pieces of asteroids that fall on Earth are S-type. The study also suggests that it must have passed through Jupiter’s asteroid belt before hitting Earth. However, the study could not tell where it was before the collision.