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Dinosaur Death: A Fiery End 66 Million Years Ago
12 May
Summary
- An asteroid impact occurred 66 million years ago.
- The event caused global wildfires and acid rain.
- Dinosaurs and half of Earth's species went extinct.

Sixty-six million years ago, a colossal asteroid impacted Earth in the Caribbean region, triggering a mass extinction event. The immediate aftermath saw intense thermal radiation, supersonic winds, and megatsunamis that devastated coastal areas.
Global wildfires erupted, fueled by atmospheric heating, while sulfur and nitrogen oxides formed intensely acidic rain. Sunlight was blocked by dust and soot, leading to a drastic drop in temperatures and a prolonged period of darkness and cold.
This prolonged winter caused widespread starvation and freezing, resulting in the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs and approximately half of all plant and animal species on Earth.
Evidence for this impact, including iridium spikes and a massive crater in Mexico, was discovered by scientists decades ago, confirming the cataclysmic event's scale and impact on life.