New evidence has been found in Japan of an asteroid that may have wiped out the dinosaurs
Japanese scientists on the island of Hokkaido have discovered new geological evidence of an asteroid impact that may have been one of the causes of the mass extinction of the dinosaurs approximately 66 million years ago. This is the first such confirmation for Japan, adding new data to the global scientific understanding of this ancient catastrophe. The research spanned over a decade. This was reported by Nippon.
A group of researchers from Japan announced a significant discovery on the island of Hokkaido, where they managed to document traces of an asteroid impact linked to the global extinction of dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous period. According to the researchers, the geological layer found in eastern Hokkaido is the first confirmation of this type of evidence in Japan and may help more accurately reconstruct the events that occurred about 66 million years ago.
Scientists note that an asteroid approximately 10–15 kilometers in diameter struck the area of the modern-day Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, causing massive climate changes and a sharp global cooling, which, according to one of the leading theories, led to the extinction of the dinosaurs. Traces of this event are found in various parts of the world in the form of layers with elevated levels of platinum-group elements, which are considered characteristic markers of a cosmic impact at the boundary between the Cretaceous and Paleogene periods.
Tohoku University Professor Reishi Takashima, along with colleagues, has been working on the Nemuro Group in the Urahoro area of Hokkaido for over ten years, gradually collecting data that has now allowed them to conclude that the discovery may be linked to a global catastrophe.
The scientists emphasize that the discovery not only confirms the prevalence of traces of an ancient asteroid but may also help better understand the mechanisms of climate change and mass extinctions in Earth’s past.
Japan will provide Ukraine with over 7,000 units of computer and multimedia equipment, including personal computers, interactive panels, and laptops, for 382 vocational colleges and schools.
Japan has taken an interest in Ukrainian strike drones. Tokyo is considering purchasing them for its own Self-Defense Forces due to their proven effectiveness in combat against Russia.
