KT and the Meteorite Band

The KT extinction event occurred some 66 million years ago. Some scientists at the Geochronology Center in Berkley . . . a center that is frequented by Dr. Who . . . have narrowed the event down to a "gnat's eyebrow", within a 11000 year margin of error. I don't think that gnat's have eyebrows . . .

But the cited article is very interesting. Paul Renne, Dr. Who's friend, discusses the KT extinction event as a tipping point; the dinosaurs were under tremendous pressure already, when the big rock hit is square in the kisser, sent a heat wave across the entire planet, heating up the temperatures so much so that much of the plant life died and the dino's after it. The mammals survived because they could go underground, and the insects survived because they were, well annoying, and aquatic plants survived, etc etc. It seems about 75% of the creatures died off.

This all seems too convenient, based on a fossil record that can only narrow things to within 10s of thousands of years. It makes me think of the hold, very incorrect history lesson that the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand started the First World War. It was a factor, nothing more.

I suspect the dinos, and many creatures were dying off for long periods due to the earth's gradual cooling . . . seems I remember reading about the giant spider/insect era  . . . what scientists like to call the Carboniferious Period . . . ending because the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere began to decline . . . the asteroid impact was probably incidental.

 Dr. Renne's admission sees to hint that popular culture places far too much emphasis on this event than the actual science backs up. A little dated, but very good read!

KT
Mammals and the KT Meteorite Band

Of course to find out what really happened, we need to find this guy: