[meteorite-list] Meteor Impact Theory Takes a Hit

[MexicoDoug at aol.com]

What was the Cretaceous-ending event that "wiped out the dinos 65 million  
years ago?  It is doubtful it was a single giant meteorite blast in  Mexico.  
Evidence also points to the Chicxulub impact being part of a  multiple impact 
part of history, and also that it was well over a quarter of a  million years 
BEFORE the end of the Cretaceous period.  That paints a very  different puzzle 
than a massive earth scalding.  One must be very careful  about jumping on the 
bandwagon and not keeping ideas in perspective.   Scientists, great 
scientists, not unlike listmembers tend to fall in love with  their own theories after 
being subjected to fame (press recognition for nice  work), fortune (grants, 
grad students, publications, etc.).  Because a  great theorist who backpeddles 
loses a great deal of face.  The Permian  case has always been far more tenuous.
 
For example, most certainly the meteorite impacts at the time of Chicxulub  
had a lot to do with the ending of the Cretaceous period, (but...), the  
difficulty and absense of finding graveyards of scorched or sufficated dinosaurs  
still relegates this to the brilliant theory department.
 
I am to believe everything I read, then the sexy Single Impact Era Ending  
Event theory proponents usually mention Chixulub translates to the "Tail of the  
Devil" or something similar, perhaps in some Judeochristian sense, or some  
similar absurdity, the point being how things are interpreted has a lot to do  
with who is doing the interpreting.  I don't believe Chicxulub means that,  
yet it is all over becausae so and so said it, and it is a good point to me to  
realize the importance of separating a good theory from a good  proof.  So 
while I am a strong proponent of the meteorite shaking up the  equilibrium NEAR 
the end of the Cretaceous, the open mind is important, not  to just become a 
yes person for suggestive theories and group think.  For  example I do believe 
in the tektite origin theory which has tektites as  terrestrial impact 
products.  I think that is a much more advanced theory  and more convincing.  But 
there are still some doubts that have been  pointed out in the past from other 
listmembers and authors, so its nice to be on  alert to see how this will 
eventually shake out and see perhaps what additional  factor not contemplated may 
need to be incorporated into the theory.
 
If you like doing jigsaw puzzles, you probably can relate to that one piece  
that seems to fit so well before the puzzle is completely finished.  Only  to 
find after pondering too long, that the piece in fact doesn't go there, and  
in a flash you see it goes upside down somewhere else, and suddenly all the  
other pieces fall right into place without further efforts.
 
Saludos, Doug
 
 
En un mensaje con fecha 01/20/2005 9:23:57 PM Mexico Standard Time,  
kelly at bhil.com escribe:

>I remember the more than 10 years it took to swing opinion on the 
>Cretacious-ending event.  We had all the same "but, but, but" 
>proposals.  We were told that the number of species of  dinosaurs
>had been declining for millions of years --- they were going to die 
>off anyway and that big rock was just a coincidence!