New evidence show a meteorite caused mass extinction on Earth

Scientists are claiming that a meteorite storm that hit earth over 12,000 years ago may have been the cause for extinction of prehistoric civilization.

An international team of scientists found a substance called melt glass which forms when temperatures reach 1,700 to 2,200 degrees Celcius, the result of a cosmic body hitting the earth.

"The extreme temperatures required are equal to those of an atomic bomb blast, high enough to make sand melt and boil," James Kennett , professor of earth science at UC  Santa Barbara, was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.  During this time period man made products that could create such extreme temperatures were not in existence.  

The material melt glass was found in Pennsylvania and South Carolina.  Tests conducted confirmed the material was not associated with human-made origin.

The team's findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, support the controversial theory that an asteroid impact some 12,900 years ago triggered the start of an unusual cold period on Earth, leading to the mass extinction of human and animal life.

The cold period mentioned in the published report is known as the Younger Dryas period.  This brief climate shift caused global temperatures to cool dramatically; killing most life forms on earth.

Source:DailyMail