New study claims dino-killing asteroid originated beyond Jupiter

A new study published in the journal Science may have finally pinpointed the origin of the dinosaur-killing asteroid. Based on the evidence, it appears that the asteroid may have originated somewhere beyond Jupiter’s orbit.

These new insights could help us improve our understanding of just how celestial objects like asteroids and comets could impact our planet if they strike it. In the case of this asteroid, scientists believe it struck Chicxulub, which is the present-day Yucatan Peninsula.

The researchers say that the conclusions about the origin of the dinosaur-killing asteroid are very notable, especially since asteroids rarely collide with our planet—despite some coming very close at times. The scientists believe it will also help us determine how water came to Earth, which could also help us explain the origin of life on Earth.

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A comet or asteroid entering the Earth’s atmosphere in an illustration. Image source: Aliaksandr Marko/Adobe

Further, it could help us assess the threat of future celestial objects coming close to the planet. These findings are all based on samples of sediment taken from a time period between the Cretaceous and Paleogene eras, which is right around the time of the asteroid’s catastrophic impact.

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The new study also really points out a big thing that many have debated over for decades at this point—whether or not the dinosaur-killing asteroid was, in fact, actually a comet. While some might believe that, the researchers dismissed that idea using statistical simulations from 2021.

Additionally, analysis of the samples shows that the object was far different in composition than any comets or meteorites we’ve seen in the past. Therefore, the researchers say that it is very unlikely that the impactor was a comet. The overall hope here, though, is that studying past asteroids like this will prepare us for the future.

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Whether that is in how we approach deterring any impacts—like with NASA’s D.A.R.T. test —or through other means, any new information we can come up with will probably prove helpful in the long run.

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