Thousands-of-Years-Long Meteor Shower Killed Dinos

Study: There were many meteor strikes, not one
By Emily Rauhala,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 30, 2010 6:23 AM CDT
Thousands-of-Years-Long Meteor Shower Killed Dinos
Scientists believe a 1000-year storm left the dinos dead.   (AP Photo/Kevin Clifford)

Some scientists believe a single meteor strike in the Gulf of Mexico doomed the dinosaurs, but new research suggests that the dinosaurs may have been wiped out by a meteor shower that lasted thousands of years, finds the Telegraph. A recent study of a crater in Ukraine, which dates much, much earlier, suggests the Mexico hit was part of a longer "shower."

Scientists are still searching for clues about exactly when and how the storm began. NASA, meanwhile, is taking action to save us from the dinos' fate. The American space agency launched a program called "Spaceguard," to keep an eye on the sky. The goal, the Telegraph notes, is to develop an early warning system for possible future collisions. (Click here for more dino-related news.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X