Physical Cosmology
What is an extinction-class asteroid?
Answered by
Discovery Channel
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Discovery Channel
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NASA classifies any near-Earth asteroid 6.2 miles (10 kilometers) in diameter or larger as "extinction class" due to the catastrophic effects its impact would have on the planet. The most famous asteroid of this scale was the incoming body responsible for Mexico's Chicxulub crater. Scientists say this impact occurred 65 million years ago and may have resulted in the extinction of the dinosaurs.
Still Curious?
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What's a planetesimal?
Answered by Discovery Channel
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Are all stars the same?
Answered by Craig C. Freudenrich and Science Channel
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Would living organisms survive an asteroid crash?
Answered by Chris Jordan and Discovery Channel
