The end-Cretaceous extinction event and the history of major dinosaur fossil discoveries, one fact per card.
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- What event marks the end of the Cretaceous Period?
- The Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event (K-Pg extinction), a mass extinction 66 million years ago
- What is the K-Pg boundary?
- The geological layer marking the transition from Cretaceous to Paleogene periods, characterized by iridium-rich sediment
- How old is the K-Pg extinction event?
- Approximately 66 million years ago
- What crater in Mexico is linked to dinosaur extinction?
- Chicxulub crater, located on the Yucatan Peninsula
- How wide is the Chicxulub impact crater?
- Approximately 180 kilometers (110 miles) in diameter
- What size object created the Chicxulub crater?
- A meteorite or asteroid approximately 10-15 kilometers in diameter
- What is the iridium layer at the K-Pg boundary?
- A thin layer of sediment enriched with iridium, an element rare on Earth but common in meteorites
- What major volcanic activity occurred during the K-Pg extinction?
- The eruption of the Deccan Traps flood basalts in what is now India, releasing massive gases and ash
- Do any dinosaurs survive today?
- Yes, birds are classified as living avian dinosaurs
- In what year was Megalosaurus scientifically named?
- 1824, by William Buckland
- Who first scientifically described Iguanodon?
- Gideon Mantell, in 1825
- Where was the first Iguanodon fossil discovered?
- In Sussex, England
- Who was Mary Anning?
- An early paleontologist and fossil collector from England, famous for discovering marine reptile fossils along the Jurassic Coast
- What is Archaeopteryx famous for in paleontology?
- It is a fossilized transitional form linking dinosaurs to birds, showing their evolutionary connection
- What major fossil site is famous for K-Pg boundary dinosaur fossils?
- The Hell Creek Formation in Montana