Unveiling the Cause of the Dinosaurs' Extinction: Dust and Asteroid Impact

Scientists have discovered that the impact of an asteroid that struck Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula 66 million years ago, leading to the extinction of dinosaurs, may have been exacerbated by trillions of tons of dust propelled into the atmosphere. This dust caused a "global winter" by blocking out the sun's rays, resulting in a drop in global surface temperature and the collapse of the ecosystem. The study suggests that the asteroid's impact slowly killed off the dinosaurs over a few years, rather than immediately. The extinction event played a crucial role in the development of mammals, including humans, as the dominant organisms on Earth.