Tag Archives: Asteroid Impact

A depiction showing the orbits of known Near-Earth Asteroids (blue) in comparison to the relatively circular orbits of Mercury, Venus, Earth (white), and Mars. This view looks down onto the north pole of the solar system.
~500,000: Predicting the Next Major Asteroid Impact on Earth

Exploring the likelihood and potential consequences of future major asteroid impacts on Earth, and the ongoing efforts to predict and prepare for these events

In 1981, Luis (left) and Walter Alvarez collected samples of layered sedimentary rocks in Gubbio, Italy, at the 65-million-year-old boundary between the Cretaceous (lower) and Paleogene (upper, formerly called Tertiary) geologic time periods.
1980: The Alvarez Hypothesis – Linking Asteroid Impact to Mass Extinction

The Alvarez Hypothesis suggests an asteroid impact caused the mass extinction at the K-Pg boundary, highlighted by the high iridium levels in Italian clay and the Chicxulub crater discovery

Laboratory-grown pure platinum crystals, approximately 1 inch (2.5 cm) in size.
1802-1805: Exploring the Versatility of Platinum Group Metals

Platinum Group Metals, including platinum, rhodium, and palladium, are vital yet less recognized precious metals with significant industrial applications. They play crucial roles in fertilizer production and reducing vehicle emissions. Their scarcity is due to [...]

Aerial view of Meteor Crater, a ¾ mile (1.2 kilometers) wide hole in the Arizona desert formed approximately 50,000 years ago by the impact of a small iron-rich asteroid traveling at speeds exceeding 6 miles (10 kilometers) per second
c. 50,000 BCE: Arizona’s Meteor Crater – A Window into Earth’s Impact History

Meteor Crater near Flagstaff, Arizona, is a pristine geological site formed 50,000 years ago by an asteroid impact, offering insights into Earth's history with extraterrestrial collisions

An artist’s depiction of a large asteroid striking Earth, representing the end of the Cretaceous and the start of the Paleogene period in geologic history, about 65 million years ago
c. 65 Million BCE: The Asteroid Impact and the Demise of the Dinosaurs

The extinction of dinosaurs 65 million years ago, marking the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary, is attributed to a large asteroid impact, evidenced by global iridium deposits. This event led to dramatic climatic changes and the demise of [...]