Comet impact ‘linked’ to rise of mammals, study says

A comet’s impact may have helped mammals dominate the Earth, say the scientists from Rutgers University. According to Dennis Kent, co-author of the publication in Science, the comet 55 million years ago has had a great impact on the mammals’ population on the planet. Thus, one of the modern hypothesis is Comet impact ‘linked’ to the rise of mammals.

Comet as a cosmic body could affect the development of wildlife on Earth. According to recent studies, the comet’s impact was reflected in the growth of the number of animals, and mammals began to dominate in the animal world of the Earth.

A team of researchers outlines new evidence for their theory. The comet 55 million years ago could have triggered a rapid phase of global warming linked to the expansion of mammal groups during the Eocene time period. During this comet event, the temperatures on the Earth could rise by about 6C in less than 1,000 years, says Prof Kent:

“It got warm in a hurry. This suggests where it came from.”

The impact of the space possibly has had profound effects on Earth’s ecosystems, the most recent example is an asteroid which slammed into Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula 66 million years ago was responsible for wiping out the dinosaurs.