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Few events have had as great an impact on life on Earth as the Chicxulub asteroid. It struck off the coast of Mexico 66 million years ago and, according to current knowledge, contributed significantly to the extinction of the dinosaurs. As recently became known, the huge piece of rock probably came from outside Jupiter’s orbit. The impact caused tsunamis, earthquakes and major fires, darkened the atmosphere with dust, which cooled the earth and almost stopped photosynthesis in plants. Three quarters of all animal and plant species did not survive.
