Rapid Recovery of Life (IMAGE)
Caption
An asteroid impact 66 million years ago wiped out life across the planet, but microorganisms quickly rebounded. New research has found evidence for a diverse array of plankton and other organisms inhabiting the crater only a few years after the extinction-causing impact. The three hair-covered forms (left) represent species of plankton found inside the crater. The geometric form (bottom left) is a species of algae. Small organisms like these moved into the crater so quickly that bones from animals that were killed by the impact, such as the mosasaur pictured here, may have still been visible.
Credit
Original art by John Maisano, University of Texas Jackson School of Geosciences.
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