If you grew up anytime after the 1980s, you probably think you know exactly how dinosaurs went extinct: one massive asteroid, one very bad day, end of story. The problem is… we didn't actually know that for most of modern scientific history.
In this episode, we go back to a time when the extinction of dinosaurs was basically a free-for-all of extremely confident guesses. We're talking climate change, massive volcanic eruptions in the Deccan Traps, eggs that were somehow both too strong and too weak, and at least one theory suggesting dinosaurs just collectively decided to stop reproducing. Which, honestly, feels like a very low-energy way to go extinct. We talk about shocked quartz, the discovery of the Chicxulub crater, and the kind of planet-wide chaos that follows when something the size of a mountain hits Earth at absurd speeds. We also explore why this theory took so long to be accepted, how it competed with volcanic explanations, and how science actually works when multiple ideas are fighting for legitimacy.
This episode is a mix of comedy commentary, offbeat learning, and genuinely fascinating scientific detective work. It's lighthearted education that starts with ridiculous theories and ends with one of the most dramatic, evidence-backed stories in natural history. Along the way, there are plenty of quirky insights into how consensus is built, how evidence wins (eventually), and how even the biggest discoveries can take decades to land.
Important links:
Deccan Traps - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deccan_Traps
Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cretaceous%E2%80%93Paleogene_boundary
Do We Know What Killed the Dinosaurs? - https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/news/do-we-know-what-killed-the-dinosaurs/
Chicxulub crater - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicxulub_crater#:~:text=The%20Alvarezes%2C%20joined%20by%20Frank,search%20for%20a%20suitable%20candidate.
Ruthenium isotopes show the Chicxulub impactor was a carbonaceous-type asteroid - https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adk4868
Walter Alvarez - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Alvarez
Luis Walter Alvarez - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luis_Walter_Alvarez
How an asteroid ended the age of the dinosaurs - https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/how-an-asteroid-caused-extinction-of-dinosaurs.html
We Know the Origins of the Asteroid That Killed the Dinosaurs - https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/asteroid-that-killed-the-dinosaurs-came-from-beyond-jupiter/#:~:text=They%20discovered%20a%20layer%20of%20debris%20in,and%20its%20submerged%20giant%20scar%2C%20called%20Chicxulub.
Asteroid dust found at Chicxulub Crater confirms cause of dinosaurs' extinction - https://www.astronomy.com/science/asteroid-dust-found-at-chicxulub-crater-confirms-cause-of-dinosaurs-extinction/
How We Figured Out an Asteroid Killed the Dinosaurs - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJY5vWXZHgI&list=PLR34x9VMByzz98U_IitcV338ayr6W8-YX&index=9
Don't Know, Do Care is the brainchild of Ashmita, Sandy, and Prakhar, three friends from different backgrounds and interests. Ashmita works in sustainability, Sandy's an entrepreneur (puke) who'd rather not be, and Prakhar works with Sandy and is just trying to make sense of it all.
Three mildly confused friends, one weirdly specific topic each week. We don't know much, but we care just enough to talk about it for up to an hour each week.
Don't Know, Do Care is produced by "Ghar Pe Productions", edited by Prakhar and Sandy, critiqued (thoroughly) by Ashmita, and enjoyed mostly by our friends. Thanks for giving us a listen!
