asteroid impact

A science explainer argues that the asteroid impact 66 million years ago was not the sole cause of the dinosaurs' extinction. It points to other contributing factors, such as massive volcanic eruptions, climate change and falling sea levels, that weakened ecosystems before the impact delivered the final blow. The topic continues to draw large audiences as debates over the exact causes of the mass extinction remain active among paleontologists.

A scientist dubbed 'the most dangerous woman in science' argues the widely accepted explanation for the dinosaur extinction is incorrect. The standard view holds that an asteroid impact wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago, but she contends this account is flawed, reigniting a long-running scientific debate over whether volcanic eruptions, climate change or the impact itself were chiefly responsible.

A physics professor at Albion College has published research that adds to scientific understanding of impacts on Earth. The work is said to contribute to the study of how collisions with objects such as asteroids or meteorites affect the planet. Details of the findings, the professor's identity, and where the research was published are not yet specified.

A newly formed crater named McGetchin has been spotted on the Moon, created between April 11 and May 22, 2024, when an asteroid or comet roughly the size of a multi-story building struck the lunar surface. The crater measures about 222 meters wide and 43 meters deep, and astronomers note it is among the larger fresh impacts recorded in recent years.

SETI Institute volcanologist Dr. Kayla Iacovino appeared on NewsNation to explain what a Yellowstone super-eruption would actually mean for the planet. She described the event as so large that its global effects could be comparable to those of a major asteroid impact, prompting fresh public discussion about the supervolcano's potential consequences.

Japan's Hayabusa2 asteroid probe has lost the last of its functioning engines, leaving the spacecraft without a propulsion system. The probe, which already returned samples from asteroid Ryugu to Earth, was on an extended mission. JAXA is expected to assess the failure and weigh options for the craft's future, with the exact impact on its remaining scientific goals still to be confirmed.