Formation And Destruction.

Formations and destructions are laws of nature. If a thing is created, it is assured that the thing will face its end, sooner or later. This is a never-ending saga. Well, I am going to mention two such phenomena which are perfect examples of Formation and Destruction.

How did dinosaurs become extinct?

Something strange and drastic happened on earth about 60 million years ago. According to one theory, an asteroid more than 6 miles wide struck just off the course of Mexico's Yucatan peninsula. The impact created the chicxulub crater, more than 10miles wide and formed a gigantic dust cloud. The dust settled, forming the layer of iridium-rich clay, now found in the sedimentary rocks under the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and in most Northern land masses.

The cloud likely caused world temperatures to drop. Scientists link this global cooling to the extinction of dinosaurs and numerous other plants and animal species. The fossil records show significant differences between the remains from Cretaceous(K) period of the Mesozoic era and those from the Tertiary (T) period of the Cenozoic era – a transition point called the K-T boundary. Other geologic events caused atmospheric changes that may also have contributed to the mass extinction.

How did Hawaii form?

The Hawaiian archipelago stretches above the Hawaiian Ridge, a line of volcanoes running 1615 miles along the floor of the Pacific Ocean Islands that form over a hot spot beneath the tectonic plates. Volcanoes built underwater have peaks that eventually reach above the sea level. As the Pacific plate continues moving North-West, the islands become old. At the same time, new islands are also forming. At the current southeast end of the chain, Loiki, now a seamount, will one day become the newest Hawaiian island.