What happend after the Dinosaurs went extinct?

66 million years ago, an asteroid as large as Mount Everest hurtled towards Earth on a catastrophic collision course. The impact was so devastating that it led to the extinction of the most gigantic and deadly reptiles to ever roam our planet. However, the dinosaurs didn't perish instantly. Their demise was a slow, agonizing process.

What caused the largest tsunami Earth has ever seen? And what happened after these massive reptiles were gone? Hold on tight as we take you on the most epic and deadly journey of your life.

This dinosaur-ending asteroid was terrifying. Measuring about 10 kilometers in diameter, it traveled at an incredible speed of 10 to 30 kilometers per second. As it blazed through the atmosphere, the air in front of it compressed and heated to unimaginably high temperatures, possibly as hot as the surface of the Sun. In just a few seconds, this massive space rock reached Earth's surface, altering the course of life forever.

When the asteroid struck Earth off the coast of present-day Mexico, it sent huge amounts of debris into the air. The initial blast wave obliterated everything in its path, and the situation only worsened from there. Earth was experiencing a truly rough time. While we may not be facing a giant asteroid today, we are grappling with severe environmental crises. If you think it's time to fix our planet, stick around for an amazing video recommendation from our friends at Planet Wild—you don't want to miss it.

The powerful blast ejected fragments of Earth's surface into the atmosphere, and minutes later, scorching hot pieces of glass and rock rained down. Some of the debris reacted with the atmosphere, causing acid rain that lasted for years. The land was set ablaze, and fires spread across the continent, killing more life in their wake. Just when you thought the apocalyptic scenario couldn't get worse, it did.

The impact generated shock waves that traveled through the planet, releasing energy that triggered a mega tsunami. This wall of water, over 10 meters high, was thirty thousand times more powerful than any tsunami we see today. It ravaged the North Atlantic and South Pacific coastlines, destroying and reshaping them.

Surviving this apocalyptic destruction was impossible. Yet, some dinosaurs did manage to escape immediate obliteration. Those farther from Ground Zero avoided being incinerated by the infernos or swept away by the mega tsunami. However, their fate was sealed as the dust began to settle, marking the start of a "nuclear winter." Though not caused by nuclear weapons, the effect was similar. Debris blocked sunlight for months or even years, plunging Earth into a cold, dark state. Dinosaurs were ill-equipped for this drastic change.

Temperatures plummeted, and fires released enormous amounts of greenhouse gases, drastically altering the climate. Plants couldn't perform photosynthesis and began to die, disrupting the food chain and starving many surviving animals. Acid rain continued for several years, further devastating ecosystems. Oceans became too acidic for marine life, which didn't have time to adapt. This series of harsh conditions, combined with the initial blast, led to the extinction of about 75% of Earth's life.

Among the casualties was the terrifying T-Rex. As much as we might feel for this creature, it's a relief it isn't around today. When the last dinosaurs breathed their last, Earth became a cold, acidic, desolate place. So, when did things get back to normal? Well, they didn't—not to the dinosaur era normal, anyway. Earth didn't rebuild; it reinvented itself.

A thousand years later, the planet began recovering from the post-apocalyptic winter. It remained cold, and food was scarce, but life was ready to make a comeback. Ferns were among the first plants to reappear and thrive after the disaster. Fast forward 100,000 years, and Earth was becoming lively again, with creatures the size of raccoons repopulating the continents and oceans teeming with life. Ten million years later, Earth had restored its biodiversity, ushering in the age of mammals. Birds and flowering plants thrived alongside mammals, transforming the planet.

Earth never returned to its pre-impact state. After the dinosaurs' extinction, it took millions of years for the planet to bounce back in a new way. This new world, while still terrifying with beasts like Paraceratherium on land and Megalodon in the oceans, was different. Fortunately, most of these creatures are not around today.

Even without such monsters, today's Earth faces numerous environmental challenges. However, it's not game over for our planet yet. Check out Planet Wild, a YouTube channel featuring real-life Avengers who work to protect our planet. They tackle problems like deep-sea waste cleanup and forest restoration. Their inspiring journey shows that we can change the world.

A big shout out to Planet Wild for their amazing work and for encouraging all of us to do better. Let's save the planet and avoid the fate of the dinosaurs.