'Chicxulub' / Milestones Brief 2015
Received 'Pass' distinction from Australasian ISTD judge panel
Beyond our own capabilities of basic human comprehension lies an unwavering principle that governs and administers order within our universe.
The small, airless rocky worlds known as Asteroids have been an ever-present elemental force existing in unison with the stars and planets ever since the formation of our galaxy billions of years ago. The resulting fragments of collisions between planets, moons and other asteroids themselves, these rouge planetary bodies drift in and out of our solar system in perpetuity, quietly reminding us of their immense and deeply profound relevance amongst the cosmos.
The unwritten history of our Earth bears evidence of numerous mass extinction events which have helped dictate the evolution of life on our planet—the most recent of them being the Chicxulub impact crater in the Yucatán Peninsula some 65 million years ago that is attributed to the disappearance of the dinosaurs.
The countless number of large scale asteroid impacts not only conjures up unfathomable images of obliteration on a truly global scale, but also confronts us with a challenging recognition for just how long the Earth has been around for—4.5 billion years to be exact—a number simply too large for the human mind to grasp.
By taking advantage of today’s advanced geophysical technology we are able to study and calculate the consequences of a potential asteroid colliding with our planet. The Chicxulub crater signifies a momentous event in the evolution of life on Earth, leaving behind various evolutionary and sedimentary clues that help us understand it’s ramifications. Along with accurate celestial observations and asteroid tracking capabilities, preparing ourselves with the knowledge and expertise for what could possibly be heading our way might just prevent our species from a similar conclusion to that of the mighty dinosaurs. Using this most recent mass extinction event as guide for studying the repercussions of a large scale asteroid impact, there is little to no question that a possible event would put our species in severe jeopardy, if not complete extinction.
This publication is a testament to the asteroid that hit the Yucatán Peninsula and the resulting fallout that came with it.
Designed to be a booklet that is sold at any of the various NASA expos and conventions that take place around the world, the subject matter reflects an increasing public awareness of the astronomical objects in our solar system. On the back of the recent Philae spacecraft landing in November 2014, there is now an heightened fascination with these enigmatic, mysterious bodies.
Appealing to an audience who appreciates the beauty of the unknown, this booklet embraces it and challenges us to confront our collective vulnerability within this vast, cold and uncompromising universe.
