Why the dinosaurs disappeared: The asteroid that ended their reign struck Earth with a force of around 100 million megatons

The asteroid that ended the dinosaurs' reign measured 10–15 km in diameter and struck near Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula.

The impact created the Chicxulub crater, about 180 km across, and released roughly 100 million megatons of energy.

The energy was equivalent to over one billion times the combined force of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The collision ejected trillions of tonnes of dust and sulphur into the atmosphere, blocking sunlight and causing global darkness and climate collapse.

Around 75% of all species, including all non-avian dinosaurs, were wiped out as a result.