What happened on the discovery IN 1980?

Answer 1

In 1980, the discovery of the impact hypothesis for the extinction of the dinosaurs was proposed by physicist Luis Alvarez and his team. They discovered a layer of iridium-rich clay in the geological record, dating to around 66 million years ago, which suggested a massive asteroid impact. This finding provided a compelling explanation for the sudden mass extinction event at the end of the Cretaceous period, leading to significant changes in Earth's biodiversity. The impact hypothesis has since been widely accepted and has transformed our understanding of Earth's geological and biological history.