IT’S ALSO WHERE THEY STRIKE: It’s Not Actually Size That Determines How Deadly a Meteor Is. “Using this new method for assessing the mineral content of the meteorite ejecta blankets, we show that every time a meteorite, big or small, hits rocks rich in potassium feldspar it correlates with a mass extinction event.”

Plus: “Feldspars are aluminum-silicate rocks, crystallized from magma, making up around 60 percent of Earth’s crust. Potassium feldspar is common in many soils, and unlike other substances smashed into our atmosphere during these meteor impacts – like acid rain causing hydrocarbons – it is a safe and un-reactive chemical. However, potassium feldspar is a powerful ice-nucleating aerosol – meaning it can massively alter cloud composition.”