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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Science
Kate Ravilious

Story of dinosaur-killer meteorite impact told in vivid detail

Artist’s impression of a large asteroid colliding with Earth
Artist’s impression of a large asteroid colliding with Earth. Illustration: Science Photo Library/Alamy

What would it have been like to have lived through the meteorite impact that wiped out the dinosaurs 66m years ago? Writing in the Conversation, Michael Benton, of the University of Bristol, and Monica Grady, of the Open University, describe in vivid detail how it might have felt.

The first sign that something was amiss would have been a new star visible for about a week before the event. Upon its arrival, all living creatures near the impact site would have seen the bright fireball, heard its crackling noise and experienced a sonic boom before being swiftly incinerated.

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