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It disclosed the secret of the asteroid-murderer
about the tragic fate of the dinosaurs of our time is not only aware of absolutely ignorant people. Everyone knows that the giant reptiles destroyed a large meteorite that fell on our planet and cause a global ecological catastrophe.
In general, this theory is supported by most scholars, but the origin of cosmic rock guest still remained a mystery. Expand this detective story seems almost managed to researchers from the Astronomical Institute in the US state of Colorado.
The focus of the scientists proved the so-called Baptistina - family of boulders of various sizes located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. A detailed examination of their cluster was discovered a strange hole, which is a completely empty space.
Scientists have suggested that about 165 million years ago, at this point the attractive force of the two planets, two asteroid pushed their heads, causing a chain reaction started this. Large and small boulders encountered, literally pushing each other in different directions.
All this cosmic pinball able to reconstruct with the help of a computer model, which confirmed that some of the asteroid belt left as a result of a series of clashes, with great speed headed towards Earth. Apparently, the scientists assume one of them collapsed on the planet in the form of a huge meteorite at the end of the Cretaceous period, about 65 million years ago, thus putting an end to the era of dinosaurs.
Recent doubts dispelled analysis of the chemical composition of asteroids now existing Baptistina family. It turned out that they consist mainly of carbonaceous chondrites. The same substance, geologists found in fossil deposits on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, as a member of a meteorite found in the Pacific Ocean. Age and the first and second discovery is about 65 million years.
Opening of the American scientists, not only sheds light on the events of the past, but also raises questions about the future. Catastrophes like the one at the end of the Cretaceous period, could happen today. After 30 years the Earth may encounter the asteroid Apophis, drifting in space rock with a diameter of about 300 meters.
This heavenly tramp in 2036 to fly dangerously close to the planet, and possibly even crash into it. Similarly, calculate its trajectory until it turns out, scientists have great hopes for the data space robot explorer. This unit can be started to Apofiu in seven years.
