What it would have been like to experience the dinosaur-killing asteroid
The article describes a hypothetical, moment-by-moment account of the asteroid impact that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. It details the sensory experiences one might have had near the impact site, based on scientific research in meteoritics and palaeontology. The event, which occurred in what is now the Caribbean, led to immediate environmental devastation and mass extinction.
- ▪The asteroid impact occurred 66 million years ago in what is now the Caribbean, within ancient shallow seas covering eastern Mexico and the southern United States.
- ▪The asteroid was approximately 10 kilometers in diameter and traveled faster than the speed of sound, causing a sonic boom and intense thermal radiation upon entry.
- ▪Shock waves from the impact generated extreme heat, pressure, and seismic energy, forming a massive crater in just seconds.
- ▪The impact triggered global climate changes and led to the extinction of the dinosaurs and about half of Earth's other species.
- ▪In the day before impact, the asteroid was visible as a bright, stationary point of light in the night sky, becoming visible during daylight in the final hours.
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serpeblu/Shutterstock What it would have been like to experience the dinosaur‑killing asteroid armageddon: a blow‑by‑blow account Published: May 11, 2026 11:07am EDT https://theconversation.com/what-it-would-have-been-like-to-experience-the-dinosaur-killing-asteroid-armageddon-a-blow-by-blow-account-271786 https://theconversation.com/what-it-would-have-been-like-to-experience-the-dinosaur-killing-asteroid-armageddon-a-blow-by-blow-account-271786 Link copied Share article Share article Copy link Email Bluesky Facebook WhatsApp Messenger LinkedIn X (Twitter) Print article A great Tyrannosaurus rex strides through the conifer trees of her territory, sniffing the air. She picks up the scent from the carcass of a dead horned dinosaur, Triceratops, that she was feeding on yesterday.
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