Dinosaurs became extinct about 66 million years ago at the end of the Cretaceous period. Scientists agree it was mainly due to a mass extinction event, with two major factors playing key roles.
🪨 1. Asteroid Impact (Main Cause)
A giant asteroid, about 10–15 km wide, slammed into Earth near present-day Mexico, creating the Chicxulub Crater.
What happened after the impact:
🌍 Massive earthquakes and tsunamis
🔥 Global firestorms
☁️ Huge amounts of dust and sulfur blocked sunlight
❄️ Earth entered an “impact winter”
🌱 Plants died → food chains collapsed
➡️ Large dinosaurs couldn’t adapt fast enough and died out.
🌋 2. Massive Volcanic Eruptions (Contributing Cause)
At the same time, enormous volcanic eruptions in India called the Deccan Traps were occurring.
Effects:
🌡️ Long-term climate warming
☠️ Toxic gases (CO₂, sulfur dioxide)
🌊 Ocean acidification
These eruptions weakened ecosystems, making life more vulnerable when the asteroid struck.
