Ancient Asteroid Collision Boosts Biodiversity On Earth
Mohammad Ali (@ChaudhryMAli88) Published September 19, 2019 | 05:19 PM
An international team of scientists found that a collision in the asteroid belt 470 million years ago diversified life on Earth
WASHINGTON, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Sep, 2019 ) :An international team of scientists found that a collision in the asteroid belt 470 million years ago diversified life on Earth.
The study published on Wednesday in the journal Science Advances showed that the breakup of a major asteroid between Jupiter and Mars filled the entire inner solar system with enormous amounts of dust.
The dust led to a unique ice age and, subsequently, to higher levels of biodiversity, according to the study.
The blocking effect of the dust partially stopped sunlight reaching Earth and an ice age began, and the climate changed from being more or less homogeneous to becoming divided into climate zones: from Arctic conditions at the poles, to tropical conditions at the equator, according to the study. Then, the high diversity among invertebrates came as an adaptation to the new climate.
Researchers identified extraterrestrial helium isotopes incorporated in the petrified sea floor sediments in southern Sweden, since the asteroid dust, on its way to Earth, was enriched with helium when bombarded by the solar wind.
Some scientists proposed that it would be possible to place asteroids, much like satellites, in orbits around Earth so that they continuously liberate fine dust and hence partly block the warming sunlight, a method to cool the planet in an era of global warming.
"Our studies can give a more detailed, empirical based understanding of how this works, and this in turn can be used to evaluate if model simulations are realistic," said the paper's lead author Birger Schmitz, a professor of geology at Lund University.
Recent Stories
Sindh home minister chairs law and order meeting
Bakht Kakar orders to ensure maximum facilities in livestock sector
NEPRA concludes hearing into FCA of DISCOs for March
Junta-led Burkina Faso suspends BBC, Voice of America for two weeks
Chairman COPHC lauds MoMA’s efforts at Gwadar Port, Free Zone
CM’s aide directs steps to prevent domestic violence against women
LESCO detects 74,621 power pilferers in 220 days
Regional Police officer (RPO) Shariq Kamal Siddiqui holds open court
LESCO collects over Rs 4.36m from 189 defaulters in 24 hours
Secretary health urges public to follow precautionary measures to avoid spreadin ..
PM directs formation of committee for consultation with provinces on carbon cred ..
UAF to ink MoU with Ethiopian universities
More Stories From World
-
Junta-led Burkina Faso suspends BBC, Voice of America for two weeks
4 minutes ago -
Romania court opens way for start of influencer Tate's trial
26 minutes ago -
Kenya flood death toll since March climbs to 70
26 minutes ago -
At least 10 people killed in Brazil fire: officials
26 minutes ago -
Russia targets Ukraine railways as Western aid due to arrive
59 minutes ago -
Miner Anglo American rejects BHP's near $39-billion takeover bid
1 hour ago
-
At least 10 people killed in Brazil fire: officials
1 hour ago -
Junta-led Burkina Faso suspends BBC, Voice of America for two weeks
1 hour ago -
Saudi to host top Arab, EU diplomats for Gaza talks: officials
1 hour ago -
Kenya flood death toll since March climbs to 70: govt
1 hour ago -
US Fed's favored inflation measure accelerates in March
2 hours ago -
Kenya flood death toll since March climbs to 70: govt
2 hours ago