New study: How an asteroid that struck Earth 66 million years ago wiped out the dinosaurs

A recent scientific study suggests that the asteroid which struck Earth approximately 66 million years ago, contributing to the extinction of the dinosaurs, may have triggered widespread firestorms in the first hours after impact, before the onset of the “impact winter” phase long considered the primary cause of the extinction.

The journal JGR Biogeosciences reported that researchers at the University of Bordeaux in the United States believe that silicate dust generated by the vaporization of rocks played a crucial role in trapping thermal radiation and redirecting it toward the Earth’s surface, raising heat intensity to levels approximately 3.5 times higher than previous estimates.

The models indicate that these conditions may have helped ignite widespread fires in vegetation and severely affected exposed organisms, while those living underground or in water had a greater chance of survival. The researchers emphasize that these findings represent a scientific hypothesis supported by new models, but they still require further field evidence from various regions around the world. NASA data also indicate that no known asteroid of similar size is currently on a trajectory toward Earth in the foreseeable future, with ongoing regular monitoring of near-Earth objects.