Experts suggest the Chicxulub impact crater was created by a carbon-rich, C-type asteroid from beyond Jupiter, possibly indicating a link to mass extinction events.
By studying ruthenium isotopes in debris from the impact, the team found that the composition is unlike that found on Earth, confirming an extraterrestrial origin.
The research challenges previous theories, including the notion that the metals arose from violent volcanic activity, shifting focus to asteroidal impacts for explanations.
This comprehensive analysis of global samples reveals consistent ruthenium isotope patterns, lending credence to the theory that certain asteroids may trigger mass extinctions.
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