Fragments of meteorite that exterminated dinosaurs landed in Colombia
Fragments of meteorite that exterminated dinosaurs landed in Colombia
Posted by EFE on Mar 16, 2016
A team of scientists working on the Colombian island of Gorgonilla, in the Pacific, has found fragments of the meteorite that 66 million years ago caused the extinction of the dinosaurs, sources close to the investigation said Tuesday.
“(We have) evidence of the impact of the meteorite, (they are very tiny) particles that are the result when the meteorite hit,” geologist Herman Bermudez told Spanish news agency EFE.
Those remains, called spherulites, which are small, rounded bodies that commonly occur in vitreous igneous rocks, are part of the continental shelf material that is currently the Yucatan Peninsula and they were found with fragments of the meteorite.
The spherulites are 2 cm (about 0.8 inches) in diameter and look like marbles, being made of glass.
Under the microscope small crystals from the meteorite can be seen and they show its composition.
When the meteorite hit Earth, it blasted out a crater 200 km (125 mi.) in diameter known today as Chicxulub, which is on the Yucatan Peninsula.
More:
http://colombiareports.com/fragments-meteorite-exterminated-dinosaurs-landed-colombia/
Science:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/122845934
