Dino-killing asteroid may have sparked millions of years of hydrothermal life

14 hours ago

Hydrothermal vents are unique ecosystems that do not rely on sunlight, supported by Earth's heat and chemicals mixing with ocean water.
Asteroid impacts, including the one that killed nonavian dinosaurs 66 million years ago, can create temporary hydrothermal vent ecosystems.
New research indicates the Chicxulub Crater's hydrothermal vent system lasted up to eight million years, longer than the previously estimated two million years.
Samples from the crater's peak ring, taken at depths of 706 to 756 meters below the seafloor, were analyzed using argon isotope ratios to date the hydrothermal activity.
The analysis showed hydrothermal activity from about 66 to 58 million years ago, suggesting the peak ring may have been particularly conducive to supporting vents.
Impact-created porous and fractured rocks provide microenvironments that protect microorganisms from radiation and extreme temperatures, allowing life to thrive.
The findings may have extraterrestrial implications, suggesting similar processes on Mars could have supported life at hydrothermal vents after impacts.
Future space missions could use these insights to target impact craters most likely to have sustained life on other planets.

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