Dinosaur Extinction - Impact Hypothesis first proposed in Journal of Paleontology in 1956!!

[Doug Boyce <wdb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Alvarez et al. (1980) weren't the first to propose an extraterrestrial cause for
the extinction of the dinosaurs. De Laubenfels (1956) beat them by 24 years. The
abstract, from page 207 of the Journal of Paleontology (January, 1956) states:

"Attention is called to the great destruction that resulted from a meteorite
impact in Siberia in 1908. A larger impact would cause more widespread
destruction. Several larger impacts may have occurred in geologic time. The
survivals and extinctions at the close of the Cretaceous are such as might be
expected to result from intensely hot winds such as would be generated by extra
large meteoric or planetesimal impacts. It is suggested that, when the various
hypotheses as to dinosaur extinction are being considered, this one be added to
the others."


REFERENCE

de Laubenfels, M.W.
	1956: Dinosaur extinction: one more hypothesis. Journal of Paleontology,
	Volume 30, pages 207-218.