Ancient Cataclysm: 66-Million-Year-Old Fossil Site Preserves Animals Killed Within Minutes By Chicxulub Impact

Looking Back: The Remarkable Tannis Fossil Site

Discovery Paleontologists have made a startling discovery at the Tannis fossil site in the Hell Creek Formation of North Dakota. The site reveals an amazing collection of well-preserved fossil organisms, offering a glimpse into a moment when time stood still. Stacks of fish mixed with burnt logs, needle branches, mammals, Mosasaurus bones, insects and even the partial remains of a Triceratops reveal a sudden and tragic event after the impact of the asteroid Chicxulub. Become.

Chaos Effects: Unraveling the Disastrous Events of the Chicxulub Asteroid Impact

About 66 million years ago, the Chixulub impact caused a cataclysm that changed life on Earth forever. The impact created tsunami-like waves in the inland sea, burying fish, mammals, insects, and even Triceratops. They were the first victims of the cataclysm that ultimately led to Earth’s eventual mass extinction. A careful study led by University of Kansas researcher Robert DePalma and colleagues found that Tannis fish could not be stranded and buried by a typical tsunami.

Instead, seismic waves equivalent to an earthquake of magnitude 10 or 11 could have reached him within 10 minutes of impact. These seismic waves caused seiche, or standing waves, in the inland sea, causing the water to shake violently like a bathtub during an earthquake. The arrival of the seismic waves coincided with the fall of tektites (glass beads formed from atmospheric lava) within 45 minutes to an hour of impact. This evidence suggests that an impact caused the surge and explains the unique fossil preservation found at the Tanis site.

Unprecedented Preservation: Unveiling Exceptional Fossil ‘Repository’

The Tanis site is a rich paleontological treasure trove of exceptionally preserved fossils. Despite the challenges of cartilaginous fossilization, the site offers a rare 3D preservation of these ancient creatures. A rapid sedimentation process encapsulated the fossil and prevented it from shattering. Sudden death is evidenced by fish inhaling globules expelled by impact. Deservingly dubbed ‘the site of the KT event’, the Tanis site showcases a wide variety of fossil organisms, including the best examples of new and known species.

This groundbreaking discovery fills a major gap in our understanding of post-Chicxulub impact effects. The Tanis site offers a unique and vivid account of the chaotic events that unfolded, providing scientists with valuable evidence of a mass extinction that wiped out a significant portion of the world’s plant and animal species. I’m here. The results at Tanis open the door to further discoveries and promise new insights into the final moments of dinosaurs and the resilience of life in the face of catastrophic events.

As exploration of this remarkable site continues, further discoveries are expected to advance our understanding of Earth’s history and the critical influences that have shaped life on Earth.