Where the dinosaur killer came from: new data on the origin of an ancient asteroid

Scientists have uncovered the origin of the Chicxulub asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago.

Here's What We Know

According to a new study, this asteroid was a rare carbonaceous object that came from beyond the orbit of Jupiter. Researchers found a unique chemical composition of the element ruthenium in samples of the asteroid, which helped determine its origin. The ruthenium found in the asteroid has similar characteristics to elements found in asteroids between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

This discovery confirms that the asteroid was part of the main asteroid belt before its orbit was disrupted by the gravitational forces of gas giants such as Jupiter. A new analysis technique developed by the scientists made it possible to accurately measure levels of the metal ruthenium, which was key to unravelling the asteroid's origin. This data will help predict possible asteroid collisions with Earth in the future and develop measures to prevent them.

Go Deeper:

Chicxulub is an ancient impact crater about 180 kilometres in diameter located on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. It was formed about 66 million years ago by the impact of an asteroid about 10 kilometres in diameter. The impact caused massive earthquakes, tsunamis and dust emissions, leading to global climate change and mass extinction of species, including dinosaurs. The crater was discovered in 1978 during geophysical surveys. Its existence was confirmed by gravity anomalies and the presence of impact rocks. The Chicxulub crater is considered one of the largest on Earth and plays a key role in studying the effects of space disasters on our planet's biosphere.

Source: Space