Dinosaurs Died Within Hours of Asteroid Impact, says New Study

colonist writes "SPACE.com reports that most dinosaurs were incinerated within hours by the 'heat pulse' of an asteroid impact 65 million years ago. The study 'Survival in the first hours of the Cenozoic' presents a scenario where the only survivors were underground or were underwater in swamps or oceans. All unprotected creatures were 'baked by the equivalent of a global oven set on broil.'"

Dino-burgers

[nightsweat]

An appropriate post for the Memorial Day weekend. Imagine the world's largest barbeque.

Broil?

[turgid]

For us ignorant Brits, wthat's that in Gas Mark?

RTFA

[lexsco]

I'd like to RTFA, I really would !

too bad for the dinosaurs

[chaos421]

it's too bad their all-star oil drilling team didn't quite make it in time...

Pot Smokers Rejoice!

[Goalie_Ca]

At least the dinosaurs went out baked!

Gary Larson Lied!

[mythosaz]

The real reason dinosaurs became extinct! [kidsgrowth.com]

That's what they get

[Anonymous Coward]

For sending a Brontosaurus to do a T-Rex's job.

Survival

[jimmcq]

Alright, so what do I need to survive the next major asteroid impact of this magnatude? It sounds like most buildings won't be sufficient protection.

Do I need a cave to hide in? Should I go to a large body of water?

Mmmm, Broiled Dino

[Anonymous Coward]

The Emeril Lagassaurus Rex would have added some prehistoric garlic when he saw the meteor coming...then BAM!!!! Another notch!

I'd say some died instantly

[scdeimos]

"Hey, Lou, what the F is " *SPLAT*

Re:Dino-burgers

[RuneB]

Rare, medium, or well-done?

Read this Post like Dr. Evil!

[beatleadam]

Here...Try this...Pinky to Mouth everyone :-)

"dinosaurs were incinerated within hours by the 'heat pulse' of the Frickin' Laser Beam!

Thank God

[Anonymous Coward]

I think we can now all breathe a huge sigh of relief as we know the dinosaurs did not, I repeat, did NOT suffer. We will all gain a few hours of sleep a night, I'm sure.

Oven set on broil.

[superdude72]

All unprotected creatures were 'baked by the equivalent of a global oven set on broil.'"

Thanks for the metaphor. This "heated air" concept is difficult to get across to the layperson.

Re:2 Marks from....

[Rorschach1]

Zubenelgenubi is a double star. Which one do you mean? Assuming you're talking about the hotter one, Alpha-2, that'd be about 583.

Re:The important question...

[0xffffffff]

There is a theory that the earth was lighter back then, which let heavier animals thrive. It's an interesting theory - it also says that the Pangea continent covered the whole earth (not just one side) since the earth was ~40% of it's current size, and that it grew by collecting space debris over time. Someone should do the math concerning muscle efficiency and this ancient mass of the earth and see if it works out.

Great...

[kaizenfury7]

So now we have prior art for animal crackers.

Nonsense

[Ulumuri]

Everyone knows that dinosaurs died during the Great Flood.

Read the Bible!

Dinosaur Barbeque

[Anonymous Coward]

This story makes me hungry... [dinosaurbarbque.com]

Rubbish!

[Samah]

They're alive I tell you! ^_^
This article proves it!!!
Remote New Zealand Volcano Sees Dinosaur Alert? [slashdot.org]

And in other news

[Anonymous Coward]

PETA boycotts all asteroids in protest of the senseless murder of the dinosaurs.

They are throwing red paint on meteorites, and showing up nude at natural history museums everywhere.

Re:The important question...

[dbosso]

I'm no scientist, but I do own a 3.5 foot iguana, and she is FAR stronger than any cat or dog of equal or greater size that I have ever owned or played with.

You've obviously never tried to pill a cat...

Re:Broil?

[mekkab]

Gas Mark 9 for example was extremely hot, around 250 degrees C or more.

right then. Imagine a cooker that went up to 11.

What?

[Gettinglucky]

What do you mean they all died off my mom is still running around!!!

Duck and cover

[chiph]

Just practice your "Duck and Cover" drill like Bert the Turtle [conelrad.com]

Or get one of the 1950's vintage A-Bomb-proof school desks.

Chip H.

Re:Correct me if I'm wrong.

[MoeDrippins]

> Before and after Chicxulub Earth was experiencing a lot of volcanic activity. So much in fact, that the compositiom of the atmosphere was changing. As I recall the oxygen content was reducing from 30% down to 24% (I'm sure these are not the exact numbers, but they are close).


Wow, how old ARE you?

Re:Detroy the world fallacy

[warpath]

What is it about people (anti-nuke types in particular) that they feel the need to exaggerate the horrors of nuclear war? I suppose it's just wishful thinking on their part: if (for example) there were exactly enough nukes to "destroy the entire world", it would be impossible to justify building any additional warheads.

I'd counter their argument with the possibility that there are other worlds for us to destroy too and planning for only ONE is lazy. Heh, silly short-sighted anti-nuke people!

One species could survive the impact

[Openstandards.net]

Scientific studies have proven that if there was a nuclear holocaust, or a giant asteroid like the one that wiped out the dinosaurs, that the RIAA would continue to survive.

Re:Broil?

[pivo]

"Fan ovens" are called exactly that over here!

I'll bet the average American would pay about twice as much for a "convection" oven than they would for a fan oven. I know I would!

Re:Broil?

[yobbo]

But really, all this fancy language is another way of explaining the ovbious:

The dinosaurs got 0wned. Real bad.

Re:Dino-burgers

[cosmo7]

Ingredients
20-30 million dinosaurs (various species)
Iridium seasoning
Garlic salt
Chili powder

Directions
Place the dinosaurs in an oven-safe planet. Shake the seasonings until all the dinosaurs are evenly covered with a light layer of iridium. On top of that, shake on a little bit of garlic spice (not too much since it is salt). On top of that, add a few hearty shakes of chili powder to cover the animals lightly. Place the planet in the oven on the broil setting. It's important to place the planet in the middle of the oven so that it is not too close to the top broilers or it will burn. Let the dinosaurs cook for about 15 minutes on one side or until they start to get a little bit crisp. Flip the dinosaurs over in the planet and spice the back side like you spiced the front. Toss them back in the oven for another 10 minutes or until slightly crisp. Pull the planet out of the oven and flip the dinosaurs over a few times in the juice.

Feeds 2-3 billion.

*YOU* don't know?!?!?

[Rufus88]

You mean to tell me that Brits don't use the word "broil"? Ok, so who's the American culinary marketing genius who came up with the term "London Broil"?

Re:Broil?

[peawee03]

"But this oven goes to 11!"

Re:Dino-burgers

[sharkey]

Imagine the world's largest barbeque.

Mmmmm. Ribs big enough to tip over your car at the drive-in.

Geek translation

[Trejkaz]

For all you homebound geeks who have never been to a barbeque, I will attempt to translate the above for you:

"Burning dinosaurs? Imagine a Beowulf cluster of those!

I'll refute this with this Lemma:

[NarrMaster]

You sir, are an ass.

Duck And Cover

[dummondwhu]

Obviously, the dinosaurs were ignorant of the "Duck And Cover" method for surviving an incinerating holocaust. Or is that only for nukes?

Re:Dino-burgers

[corngrower]

Aren't you supposed to cook them 1/2 hour per pound? (How much did some of those large dinos weigh anyhow?) Wilma and Betty would have spent a long time preparing this meal.

i thought it was...

[MadvigLove]

because of earth's magnetic field. Every once in a great while it switches polarity and as it does it crosses over zero which leaves the earth vulnerable to solar radiation i.e. thats why everything on land died and animals tend to be nocturnal becaues their ancestors were on the other side of the planet when a solar flare struck. Its just another theory but it seems more likely than not.

Re:Dino-burgers - thanks... now it all makes sense

[Richard_L_James]

the reason Dino turned up on a Volcano [slashdot.org] was because some sicko wanted to cook him !!

Re:Broil?

[d474]

LOL! Thanks, you made me spit my lowfat peach yogurt on my keyboard.

Re:The important question...getting lighter again?

[Richard_L_James]

Certainly this theory would go a long way to explain the increase in obesity which is apparently fast becoming the world's biggest health problem [bbc.co.uk]. Personally I've always found the answer to avoid getting obesit to eat less but heck what do I know I'm just a lanky techi with a beer gut ;)

Re:Nonsense

[Reziac]

Know how to determine the sex of a dinosaur??

Neither did Noah!!

MMMMM!

[soldeed]

dinosaurs=birds?
Tastes just like chicken!

Re:Obligatory Jurassic Park Quote

[Nunar]

I, for once, would be very thankful for another dinosaur-killing meteor impact. Those pesky dinos have been destroying my flowers year in and year out!

Re:Why is that sad?

[kahei]

this means that if the bodies of the dead were to get up again,

OH NO!!

we could kill them all 12 more times

Phew! Thank goodness we have had the foresight to protect ourselves from the inevitable wave of zombies.

Re:Dino-burgers (nice going)

[AndroidCat]

The Greys had a big Chicxulub-Combo take-out order. And then they super-sized it, bastards!

Re:Nonsense

[Alsee]

So, dinosaurs really died out because God Hates Gay Marriage?

-