MEK – K1 T1 A1 – A meteorite clears the way for humankind
Earth has repeatedly experienced natural disasters which threatened life on the planet. Lost worlds were replaced by new ones. This has also shaped our own history.
A cosmic natural disaster 66 million years ago also marked the dawn of humankind: the impact of an enormous meteorite cleared the way for the development of mammals – including human beings.
At that time, almost three quarters of all organisms died out – including the dinosaurs, which had dominated the Cretaceous period.
On land, in water and in the air, numerous habitats became available – this opportunity was also seized by ancestors of human beings.
The Niesen, overlooking Lake Thun, is many things: a magic mountain, a tourist attraction, a paradise for hang-gliders. But there is much more to it: this unmistakable landscape also reflects a turbulent era of Earth’s history.
The iconic pyramid is composed of rock layers from the Cretaceous period. It is a fascinating epoch – not only for geoscientists – as our imagination is fired by the reign of the dinosaurs and the catastrophic consequences of a meteorite impact.
But the mountain also reminds us of the power of life: we humans are here because our ancient ancestors survived the cosmic catastrophe and took advantage of new habitats.
Huge scars on the Earth’s surface remind us of the threats to which our planet is continuously exposed. Every few million years, it is struck by a massive cosmic projectile – with unimaginable consequences.
The 1.2-kilometre Barringer Crater in Arizona testifies to a meteorite impact which occurred 50,000 years ago. With a diameter of 45 metres and as high as a 12-storey building, the meteorite caused shock waves, wildfires and earthquakes. Even so, the devastation was only local.
So, no real damage done – unlike 66 million years ago, when a 14-kilometer-wide space rock wiped out much of life on Earth.