How do scientists know that a meteorite killed the dinosaurs?
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The short answer is that there is a huge crater in Mexico and geologists can tell that it appeared approximately 66 million years ago. Fossils stopped appearing shortly after.
The slightly longer answer is that an asteroid the size of the crater in Mexico hitting the earth would create a shockwave which would release energy equivalent to billions of atomic bombs. The debris and soot from the impact blocked sunlight, leading to a “nuclear winter” effect. This caused a dramatic drop in temperatures and disrupted photosynthesis, which affected the food chain. Plants died off or were severely diminished, leading to the collapse of herbivore populations and, subsequently, predator species that depended on them. The combination of these factors led to long-term environmental changes, making it difficult for many species, including dinosaurs, to survive.
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