The dinosaurs were likely killed by a massive volcanic eruption in India, known as the Deccan Traps, rather than a single asteroid impact. The eruption, which occurred 66 million years ago, released massive amounts of toxic gases and lava, causing a prolonged "volcanic winter" that led to the extinction of 75% of all species on Earth, including the dinosaurs. The asteroid impact, which occurred around the same time, may have been the final blow to an already devastated planet. The Deccan Traps eruption is believed to have been a long and slow process, starting around 800,000 years before the impact and continuing for hundreds of thousands of years after. Scientists are still debating the exact role of the asteroid impact in the dinosaurs' extinction.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. 66 million years ago, Earth was barely recognizable, with lush jungles and woodlands covering much of the planet.
2. The polar regions were home to forests of prehistoric pines and ferns.
3. Oversized animals, including dinosaurs, filled the skies, oceans, and land.
4. Dinosaurs dominated the world for over 150 million years.
5. Around 66 million years ago, a mass extinction event occurred, wiping out 75% of all species on Earth.
6. The mass extinction event coincided with the eruption of the Deccan Traps, a volcanic region in India.
7. The Deccan Traps released massive amounts of CO2 and sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere.
8. The emissions from the Deccan Traps caused a wave of heating, with oceans getting at least 2°C hotter over 100,000 years.
9. The heating was followed by a period of cooling, which stressed the ecosystems and led to mass extinctions.
10. The Deccan Traps continued to erupt for hundreds of thousands of years, releasing deadly gases and causing further devastation.
11. The asteroid impact that occurred around the same time as the Deccan Traps eruption may have been the final blow to the already devastated planet.
12. Scientists are still debating whether the asteroid impact or the Deccan Traps eruption was the primary cause of the mass extinction event.
13. At least four of the five big mass extinctions in Earth's history have been linked to massive volcanic eruptions.
14. The Siberian Traps, a similar volcanic region to the Deccan Traps, is believed to have caused the Permian mass extinction 250 million years ago.
15. Scientists monitoring the Earth's interior would likely receive early warning signs if a similar volcanic eruption were to occur in the future.
16. The Deccan Traps are currently dormant and not expected to erupt again in the near future.
17. The mass extinction event that occurred 66 million years ago led to the demise of the dinosaurs, except for birds.