The impact of the meteorite Chicxulub made 65% of all life at the time extinct in a very short period of time. The day that it hit Earth is perhaps the deadliest day in Earth’s history. One of the survivors that shaped the post impact world, were the protomammals. So here is a protomammal guide to the end of the world.
Theories on how the world will end have existed across the history of human civilisations. But over the course of Earth’s vast history, there have been times where the “End” really came. This has happened five times, known as “The Big 5 Mass Extinction Events”. These events caused 65-95% of all life on the planet to go extinct at each event (read more about these here).
Most of these events occurred over a period of a million years or so (a blink in the eyes of the Earth) rather than in one devastating event that you might see in movies. But there was one day where the end of the world really did come. In a single day the world changed forever. This was the End Cretaceous Mass Extinction Event. The day that killed the dinosaurs.
The Impact
The initial impact basically evaporated everything in the area of impact. Approximately 16^2 km of rock was blasted into the atmosphere and a shock wave was sent around the globe. This triggered earth quakes and tsunamis. So step one, don’t get evaporated. Step 2 stay very far away from the ocean.
The Infrared Pulse
The next thing that happened was the infrared pulse. A pulse of heat that basically set the whole earth on fire. Much of the plant life burned, and so did many of the large endothermic (warm blooded) animal such as a triceratops. The best methods for survival was to hide in a cave or burrow. Small burrowing protomammals were able to hide in their burrows away from this, as well as other burrowing creatures.
Impact Winter
Now we get to the part where the initial event is over. It is a new day in the beginning of a new age. But the sun does not rise. The ash from the fires and debris launched into the atmosphere had blocked out much of the sun’s light. This means that any surviving plants would struggle to photosynthesise. Of course some made do, but many did not. Herbivores that relied on specific plants, carnivores that relied on specific prey were in a precarious position. Omnivores would also struggle to survive, but they had a lot more options for food.
The darkness also meant that the Earth was plunged into an “Impact Winter”. Without the sun’s warming light, it got very, very cold. Cold blooded creatures would struggle to get enough heat to sustain themselves. Though there were survivors (as we can see today) warm blooded protomammals have the advantage here. Protomammals also have another advantage, a evolutionary instinct that had allowed them to survive.
To keep warm, ensure young are safe, ensure parent-baby bonding, mammals had evolved the essential survival skill of cuddles. This is one of the things that kept them warm though the impact winter and is a trait that we see in many mammals today. It may not have been a key factor for survival but it was certainly a factor and I think it’s sweet.
Early Paleogene
For the years that follow into the early Paleogene, the skies would eventually clear. The warm sun would return and plants could grow anew. Much of the Earth changed, no more dinosaurs, much of the sea life had gone extinct from temperature changes and acidification. No more dinosaurs dominating the landscape, and many other species across kingdoms had gone extinct.
However this opened up new opportunities for the survivors. They could expand into new territories, fill now open ecological niches. Protomammals certainly didn’t have to worry about being eaten by dinosaurs. New, weird and wonderful creatures would evolve to fill the empty spaces. Some weirder than others (*cough* platypuses *cough*). Until eventually you get to us, humanity.
Key points:
To survive the apocalypse it may be advantageous to:
- Not get vapourised instantly by the impact
- Not get washed out to sea by tsunamis
- Hide in a burrow
- Be a small, warm blooded omnivore (ideally some kind of rat)
- Have lots of hugs
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