Chinese scientists are closing in on determining the geological
stratum record of the extinction events which resulted in dinosaurs
disappearing completely 65 million years ago.
The research on the dividing line between Cretaceous and
Tertiary periods, or the K/T Boundary, could provide important
clues to the reasons for the extinction of dinosaurs, said leading
scientist Sun Ge, of Jilin University.
Scientists from China, the United States, Russia, Germany and
other countries chose a stratum section in Jiayin County, northeast
China's Heilongjiang Province, and collected fossil
samples hoping to find evidence of the sudden loss of life and
possibly of a revival.?
Sun said the K/T Boundary, several centimeters thick, was
regarded as the "time point" when the extinction occurred.
The Cretaceous period marked the end of the Mesozoic time during
which dinosaurs ruled the planet while the Tertiary period was the
beginning of the Cenozoic era when humans evolved.
Scientists have said the discovery of K/T boundaries in North
America and other regions were accompanied by significant increases
of the radioactive element iridium.?One theory is that this
could have been result of a meteor strike.
They've also discovered in Jiayin County dinosaur fossils from a
time just prior to the sudden disappearance of the beats and
evidence of flora which appeared immediately after.
They say the fossils discovered in Jiayin have a correlation
with fossilized organisms found in K/T boundaries elsewhere. The
Jiayin fossils also feature special characteristics in form and
type.
The stratum environment in Jiayin is also superior to K/T
boundaries in North America and Russia, according to the
scientists.
The research program, initiated by Jilin University, is
supported by the State Natural Science Fund Committee of China. The
final results are expected to be released at the end of this
year.
Experts say the results could be used as reference point to
prevent a possible future cataclysmic event and to curb the effects
of current environmental degradation.
(Xinhua News Agency July 12, 2006)