The fall of the asteroid that formed the “scar of the planet,” the Chicxulub crater, ~66 million years ago caused the collapse of the existing ecosystem.
An asteroid (~12 km in diameter) collided with Earth at a speed of ~20 km/s.
The impact released energy millions of times greater than that of a nuclear bomb — the body vaporized and disintegrated in a fraction of a second, with fragments scattering across the planet.
Before the asteroid hit the Earth, the overall picture was as follows:
Poles: covered with forests, not ice
Climate: warm and humid, without glaciers
Ocean level: higher than today
Continents: already recognizable, but still “spread out” differently
The planet belonged to the dinosaurs; it was the peak of biological diversity in the Cretaceous period.
What happened
The asteroid impact caused mass extinction:
ecological niches have become available
non-avian dinosaurs disappeared
old ecosystems collapsed
Why is this important for humans in particular?
Before the impact:
mammals already existed
but were minor, nocturnal, and secondary
reptiles dominated
After the blow:
dinosaurs became extinct
mammals got a chance to grow, become more complex, and evolve
After tens of millions of years, primates appeared.
even later — the genus Homo
It was mammals that turned out to be:
warm-blooded
social
trainees
plastic
If the asteroid had not fallen
Dinosaurs would have continued to dominate → mammals would remain in the shadows → the evolution of large brains is unlikely
A person in their usual form is almost impossible Even if reason arose:
he could be a reptilian,
or not at all like us
or non-technological
Main conclusion
Humans as a species came about because of a catastrophe that destroyed the old world and created the conditions for new development.
💥 Global catastrophe Asteroid impact wiped out dominant species
🕳️ A spot has opened up The ecosystem has become “empty” for new forms of life.
🐾 It was not the strong who survived, but the flexible. Small mammals survived the chaos
🧠 Focus on training, not armor The brain developed, not the fangs.
🗣️ Language and culture emerged Evolution accelerated not by genes, but by knowledge
***Interesting fact
Alvarezsauridae is a family of small predatory dinosaurs, comparable in size to a chicken.
Chickens, geese, eagles, and other birds are the surviving branch of dinosaurs. They also have three-toed limbs, lay eggs, and have a special respiratory system.
So when you look at a chicken… you’re literally looking at a miniature dinosaur!
***This text is not an instruction manual or universal truth. It is the author’s personal reflection.
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