Discovery of Asteroid Traces in Japan Linked to Dinosaur Extinction
Asteroid traces found in Japan may be linked to extinction of dinosaurs
Image: The Japan Times
Researchers in Katsuyama, Fukui Prefecture, Japan, have found traces of an asteroid collision that may be linked to the mass extinction of dinosaurs 66 million years ago. This discovery marks the first confirmation of such traces in Japan and suggests the asteroid impacted the Yucatan Peninsula, triggering global cooling.
- 01The asteroid that caused the extinction was 10 to 15 kilometers in diameter.
- 02The discovery was made in the eastern part of Hokkaido, Japan.
- 03The research team included members from Tohoku University, the University of Tokyo, and Fukui Prefectural University.
- 04The impact of the asteroid is believed to have triggered rapid global cooling.
- 05This finding is significant as it is the first confirmation of asteroid traces in Japan.
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A team of Japanese researchers has made a groundbreaking discovery in Katsuyama, Fukui Prefecture, where they found traces of an asteroid collision linked to the mass extinction of dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous period, approximately 66 million years ago. This marks the first confirmation of such traces in Japan. The asteroid, estimated to be 10 to 15 kilometers in diameter, is believed to have struck near the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, contributing to the extinction event by triggering rapid global cooling. The research was conducted by a collaborative team from Tohoku University, the University of Tokyo, and Fukui Prefectural University.
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This discovery enhances Japan's geological and paleontological significance, potentially attracting research interest and tourism.
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