h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'd change CO2 to CO2.
I know it's being picky, but it's easier to read...

<BB<

Cheers BB - done.

interestingly, this month's (march 2002) astronomy now has a small article that says that new simulations predict the mazimum size of the impactor to be 1000 times smaller, thus not enough dust to stop photosynthesis.

Thanks for that - I tried their website, but perhaps they reserved the story for hard-copy. Found this though http://www.geosociety.org/pubntrst/pr/02-04.htm which says more or less the same thing. I think this calls for a re-write...

this article downplays the impact to the equivalent of dying in a plane crash. and for the individual, it is probably right.

the problem with impactors is that when they hit anywhere, they make it as significant as dying in the plane crash into the pentagon or new york, when your plane is military and carrying tactical nuke's, and thus takes out the entire city.

If you look at the comparitably minor effects of september 11th, only taking out 1 vital building (the pentagon doesn't realy count for this example), and then amplify it by then enture island of new york, and the effects that would have, and you then start to see why people like spaceguard uk (see http://www.ds.dial.pipex.com/spaceguard/ ) are so concerned.

Having read the articles I don't believe a re-write is required, perhaps a mention of the new information from the simulation. The amount of dust may not be enough to stop photo-synthesis but simulations are based on what people believe to be the case and not on what actualy happened. A small change in temperature/weather may have been enough to kill off the majority.

Alji

Having had time to consider, I think the new data vindicates the original thrust of the entry. There are many factors which indicate that the devastation wreaked by the Chicxulub impact was not the single most important factor in the extinction of the dinosaurs, and evidence of the impact has to be balanced against evidence of climate, plant growth, and faunal variations.

Thanks for putting this is Peer Review. You'll be glad to know that the editors & I think this entry is great, and it has now gone into the Editorial Process for future inclusion in the Edited Guide. When it does get into the Edited Guide, the editors will e-mail to let you know, but please bear in mind it can take a while for entries to go through the <./>SubEditors-Process</.>.

Well Done

yes, well done,

for Frogbit!

Azara

Congratulations.