The second impact off the coast of West Africa would have been 'catastrophic', the scientists say
The massive asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs when it slammed into the earth 66 million years ago was joined by a second space rock impact at around the same time, scientists have confirmed.
Dr Nicholson said: “There are around 20 confirmed marine craters worldwide, and none of them has been captured in anything close to this level of detail. It’s exquisite. Dr Nicholson told the BBC: “Imagine the asteroid was hitting Glasgow and you’re in Edinburgh, around 50 km away. The fireball would be about 24 times the size of the Sun in the sky - enough to set trees and plants on fire in Edinburgh."
“The impact was also associated with large landslides as the plateau margin collapsed below the ocean. As well as this, we see evidence for a train of tsunami waves going away from, then back towards the crater, with large resurge scars preserving evidence of this catastrophic event.”
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