Dear 222 News viewers, sponsored by smileband,
The Nadir Crater: The Newly Uncovered Impact That May Have Helped Kill the Dinosaurs
A newly examined crater buried deep beneath the Atlantic seafloor is reshaping scientists’ understanding of the catastrophic events that ended the age of the dinosaurs. The Nadir crater, located off the coast of West Africa near Guinea, is believed by some researchers to be a previously unknown impact site dating back roughly 66 million years — the same period as the asteroid strike widely credited with wiping out nearly 75% of life on Earth.
While the Chicxulub crater in Mexico has long been known as the primary trigger of the mass extinction, the discovery of the Nadir crater raises the possibility that the dinosaurs may have been struck not by one cosmic blow, but by a series of impacts.
A Hidden Scar Beneath the Atlantic
The Nadir crater was first identified in 2022 when a geologist analysing seismic survey data noticed a perfectly shaped circular depression nearly 8 kilometres wide buried under layers of sediment. The structure had all the hallmarks of a high-energy asteroid impact:
• a raised rim,
• a central peak typical of rebound after a collision,
• and shocked geological layers.
Because the crater lies beneath the seabed, its confirmation required complex modelling rather than direct drilling. Early estimates suggest the asteroid responsible may have been 400 metres wide — smaller than the Chicxulub impactor but still powerful enough to unleash enormous tsunamis and global atmospheric effects.
Did Two Asteroids Strike Earth at the Same Time
The timing is what makes the Nadir crater so intriguing. Its age appears to align almost exactly with the Chicxulub event. If verified, this would mean Earth was hit by at least two significant asteroids during the same period, potentially within hours, days, or years of each other.
Some scientists believe this hints at a breakup event — where a larger parent asteroid shattered in space, sending multiple fragments toward Earth. Others argue the Nadir impact may have been coincidental, but still devastating enough to contribute to environmental collapse.
Either way, the possibility of a double impact suggests the end-Cretaceous extinction may have been even more violent and complex than previously understood.
How the Nadir Impact Could Have Intensified Global Destruction
Although smaller than Chicxulub, the Nadir asteroid would still have caused catastrophic effects:
• Mega-tsunamis racing across the newly formed Atlantic basin
• Shockwaves that destabilised marine ecosystems
• Vaporised seawater injected into the atmosphere, contributing to global cooling
• Additional dust and aerosols, amplifying the darkness that shut down photosynthesis
In combination with the immense destruction caused by Chicxulub, the Nadir impact may have tipped ecosystems past the point of recovery, accelerating the extinction of dinosaurs, ammonites, marine reptiles, and countless other species.
What Comes Next?
Drilling into the crater is the next phase scientists hope to undertake. Only by examining shocked minerals and melt rock directly can researchers confirm its age and understand the full scale of the impact.
If verified, the Nadir crater would represent one of the most significant discoveries in modern geology — not replacing Chicxulub, but adding a dramatic new chapter to the story of Earth’s most famous extinction.
A Planet Marked by Catastrophe
The potential existence of a second dinosaur-era impact serves as a stark reminder: Earth’s history has been repeatedly shaped by cosmic events far beyond human control. The dinosaurs’ downfall may have been the result not just of one fatal strike, but of a cosmic barrage that reshaped life on the planet forever.
If confirmed, the Nadir crater will stand as yet another testament to the violent forces that have shaped Earth — and a warning of the celestial dangers that still lurk in the depths of space.
Attached is a news article regarding the nadir crater that was the location that killed dinosaurs
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c62m04v0k0no.amp
Article written and configured by Christopher Stanley
In-- Google tag (gtag.js) --> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-XDGJVZXVQ4"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-XDGJVZXVQ4'); </script>
<script src="https://cdn-eu.pagesense.io/js/smilebandltd/45e5a7e3cddc4e92ba91fba8dc
No comments:
Post a Comment