This article, which was written in May 25, 2012, is about how a large amount of Asteroids that struck the earth much longer than what scientists previously thought. This event was referred to as the Late Heavy Bombardment. It was difficult to find evidence to support this idea due to the craters that are no longer visible due to erosion. Instead, scientists analyzed spherules in rocks. These spherules are a result of molten rock raining down on the earth after they had been thrown up in the air by the asteroid. Scientists are then able to infer the size of the crater by using a computer program. Some scientists are saying that the size of some of the asteroids that struck the earth were much larger than the one that killed off the dinosaurs. These impacts are said to have a large effect on the evolutional history of life. "The large number of impacts may have helped simple life by introducing organics and other important materials at a time when life on Earth was just taking hold." By figuring out the size of the craters, we are able to figure out the size of the asteroids that used to be in space. This allows us to learn more about the history of our solar system and certain events that took place long before human life.
http://www.space.com/15424-asteroids-battered-earth-collisions.html
Aran Murphy
Interesting article. I find it fascinating that some scientists think asteroid impacts may have helped early life evolve, and yet those same impacts later would be so good at extinguishing life, causing mass extinctions.
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