Michigan Earth Assistant Professor and geochemist Sierra Petersen was recently quoted in an article from ScienceNews. The article touches on recent research conducted via computer that tackles the question of what really caused the mass extinction of dinosaurs on Earth.

“It’s an elegant way to address this problem,” says Dr. Petersen.

The results of the research suggest that expansive releases of gas produced by the Deccan Traps eruptions may have caused the extinction event. However, many scientists are skeptical that the findings from the study provide the right answers to the long and complex question of what caused the mass extinction event.

Dr. Petersen weighed in on the results of the study.

“It’s a bit of a leap to say that this study shows the impact didn’t cause the extinction,” said Dr. Petersen. “I think what they show is that the impact was likely not associated with a large [gas] release.”

You can read the full article featuring Dr. Petersen, along with the method and results of the study by clicking the button below.

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