Arbuthnot makes the case that something cataclysmic struck at the end of the last ice age, wiping out 75% or more of megafauna along with insect and bird species, a level of extinction not seen elsewhere. Citing microdiamond and Carolina Bay research, he applies Occam's razor, arguing catastrophe plus human hunting is more parsimonious than overhunting alone.
Younger Dryas Impact Hypothesis supported as best explanation for extinctions
Key facts
- Arbuthnot argues something cataclysmic occurred at the end of the last ice age
- Approximately 75% or more of megafauna went extinct at this time, including insects and bird species
- Extinction events did not occur to the same extent in other parts of the world
- Supporting evidence includes research on microdiamonds and Carolina bays
- Arbuthnot applies Occam's razor, arguing catastrophe plus human hunting is more parsimonious than overhunting alone
- In the late 1990s during grad school, catastrophe theories were still considered absurd; acceptance grew within roughly 10 years
Sources
Younger Dryas impact hypothesis - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
The Younger Dryas impact hypothesis (YDIH) is a widely refuted fringe hypothesis for the cause of the sudden influx of freshwater into the ocean which ...
The case of the Younger Dryas Impact Hypothesis - PMCpmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
The hypothesis proposes that the airburst or impact of a comet ∼12,850 years ago caused the ensuing ∼1200-year-long Younger Dryas (YD) cool period and ...
The Comet Strike Theory That Just Won't Die - The New York Timesnytimes.com
In the lake cores from the Younger Dryas that she was studying, there was no abrupt spike in charcoal to suggest catastrophic fires. Pollen ...
The Evidence for the Younger Dryas Impact Hypothesishumanoriginproject.com
The Younger Dryas lasted 1200 years long before an intense global warming event of 10-15 degrees. During this time human populations were severely affected. The ...
Did a comet burst crash Earth's climate 12,800 years ago? - EarthSkyearthsky.org
The comet burst could have triggered the Younger Dryas cooling period, which lasted around 1,200 years. Exotic materials and microscopic ...
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