"Dust: The Silent Killer of the Dinosaurs"

A new study on the end-Cretaceous extinction event suggests that fine dust from the Chicxulub impact played a significant role in the demise of non-avian dinosaurs. The study found that when this dust is plugged into climate models, global temperatures drop by as much as 25°C, and photosynthesis shuts down for almost two years. The researchers also discovered that the average particle size of the dust was smaller than previously assumed, affecting its interaction with sunlight and how long it stays in the atmosphere. These findings highlight the complex dynamics of the post-impact climate and the challenges in understanding the events that followed the extinction event.