Paper Summary:

This paper first examines the extinction of the dinosaurs being caused by a meteor strike or several meteor strikes that wiped out nearly all life on earth nearly 250 years ago. The paper then discusses how scientists all over the world continue to search for evidence of a approaching meteors. Finally the paper explores what the potential consequences would be were a similar meteor strike to approach Earth as it did 250 million years ago.

From the Paper:

"Scientists researching the ancient eras of the Earth seem convinced that some of the major catastrophes that wiped out so much of life on Earth was caused by a meteor strike, or several such strikes. 'Earth's greatest mass extinction--an Armageddon that wiped out nearly all life on the planet 250 million years ago--may have been triggered by a massive meteor collision like the one that millions of years later helped end the reign of the dinosaurs, a team of scientists reported...The extinction is called 'The Great Dying,' because it wiped out 90% of ocean species and 70% of those on land' (McFarling A1)"

Sample of Sources Used:

• BBC Science and Wonder: "The Day the Earth Nearly Died" Dec. 5, 2002 www.bbc.co.uk/science/horizon/2002/dayearthdied.shtml
• Desonie, Dana: "The Threat from Space" Earth Magazine, August, 1996.
• McFarling, Usha Lee: "Meteor Strike Suspected in Biggest Mass Extinction; Paleontology: Scientists find evidence of a collision at the time of a catastrophe long before the dinosaurs" Los Angeles TIMES, Feb 23, 2001.
• Wood, Donald "Eyes on the Sky" Vanier Canada: Canadian Geographic, Sept/Oct 1999.
• No author listed: "Cosmic Disturbances" thefox@foxven.com

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