A fossil site in North Dakota appears to have captured the day the dinosaur-killing asteroid struck Earth, right down to tiny glass beads from the impact lodged in the gills of fish that died within h

Key Points:

• The Tanis site in North Dakota captures a rare moment shortly after the Chicxulub asteroid impact 66 million years ago, with fish fossils containing impact debris in their gills, suggesting they were alive during the fallout.
• The 2019 PNAS paper describes a high-energy surge deposit containing fish, burned wood, and marine fossils, likely caused by seismic waves from the impact rather than a distant tsunami, with glassy spherules embedded in fish gills and amber serving as a timestamp.
• While the fish evidence is strong, claims about dinosaur remains at Tanis remain unverified and controversial, as most dinosaur specimens have not been fully described or peer-reviewed, and some may have been transported post-mortem.
• The site's findings have been subject to scientific scrutiny and disputes, including accusations of data fabrication that were not substantiated but led to findings of poor research practices; access restrictions and private ownership complicate independent verification.
• Despite controversies, the Chicxulub impact's role in the mass extinction is well-established, and Tanis potentially offers a unique, detailed record of the immediate aftermath, warranting further peer-reviewed research and open scientific collaboration.