Abstract
The extinction event at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary wiped out numerous marine and terrestrial groups of species. The penetration depth of the Chicxulub impactor was at least approximately 30 km. The reported pressures at impact reached approximately 10 GPa–30 GPa, or, according to one author, 32,720 GPa. These discrepancies are the reason for recalculating the pressure. Based on a solid round impactor, the upper limit of the pressure was ca. 440,000,000 GPa. Large quantities of particulate matter, e.g. fine-dust were produced. According to the World Health Organization particulate matter (PM2.5) can cause cardiovascular problems and high death rates. This applies to dinosaurs and other biota too. Thus, particulate matter is considered a previously overlooked cause of the high lethality of the Chicxulub impact. Inertial nuclear fusion (nuclear fusion through pressure) appears possible too. The resulting particulate matter may thus also have been radioactive. The mass extinction at the Permian-Triassic boundary, also involving antipodal volcanism, and that of the Ordovician also had an impact as a cause. The climate change at approximately 2.6 million years ago also coincided with another impact. Thus the extinction of the pliocene Megafauna might possibly be related to this impact.