A new study suggests the Chicxulub impact, which wiped out dinosaurs 66 million years ago, created a massive dust cloud that superheated Earth's atmosphere, effectively "charbroiling" living organisms. This immense heat pulse, far exceeding previous estimates, would have been lethal even to thick-skinned dinosaurs and ignited widespread wildfires.

Previous theories, like the "Alvarez hypothesis" proposed by Luis Alvarez and his son Walter, focused on iridium found in sedimentary layers as evidence of an asteroid impact. Scientists have since identified the likely impact site in Chicxulub, Mexico. The impactor released energy far greater than atomic bombs, vaporizing rock and sulfates and ejecting them into the atmosphere.

This latest research, combining impact simulations with geological data, indicates that fine dust particles formed from this vapor would have trapped heat, generating an intense thermal radiation pulse. Co-author Brandon Johnson of Purdue University stated this dust cloud could have caused mass death within the first "hour or two" after the impact, leading to a global catastrophe.

While not directly igniting wood, the heat would have set fire to grass and other vegetation, contributing to wildfires. The study also dismisses theories of volcanic activity as the primary cause, aligning with hypotheses of dinosaur starvation due to prolonged solar blockage by dust clouds. Co-author Alexandria Johnson noted that even survivors would have faced health risks from inhaling fine dust particles.