Mass Extinction Research Paper

For this project, I read, “The End Of Dinosaurs, Chicxulub Crater and Mass Extinctions.”
This book began talking about the five mass extinctions and what a mass extinction was. It stated that the best studied of all mass extinctions was the fifth mass extinction. This is because it was the closest to us in time, and it wiped out roughly 70% of all species. This lead to the books next topic, how this mass extinction occurred. In the beginning, most scientists were gradualists, meaning they believed the fifth mass extinction happened gradually. Although there was few evidence to support this, there were no other theories at the time so everyone believed it. Then, the idea that a volcanic eruption caused the fifth mass extinction was brought up. Although evidence was shown, few believed in this theory. Finally, the theory of the cause of the fifth mass extinctions took and new turn as some scientists …show more content…
When iridium, a substance commonly found in meteors, was found in the clay from the End of the Cretaceous, also know as K-T layer, more scientists seemed to grasp the idea of a meteor as the cause. But, many were still dubious. This was not because of lack of evidence, this was because they didn’t want to believe that in one second, the world as they knew it would be gone.More evidence poured in like a waterfall, shocked quartz, something caused by meteors hitting earth, were found in Haiti, and small diamonds found in space, were discovered along the K-T layer. With this overwhelming amount of evidence it was hard not to side with the impact theory. but the few who didn't had a very good reason why. No one had found the crater where the meteor had struck. Gradualists constantly brought this up when in debate. And all those who believed in the impact theory knew that without a crater they