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The bolide-impact explanation predicts ___________.

A. a sudden extinction
B. a gradual extinction
C. a selective extinction
D. no extinction

User Jon Ball
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Final answer:

The bolide-impact explanation predicts a sudden extinction, as such a catastrophic event would cause immediate environmental devastation, resulting in a significant loss of biodiversity and the demise of numerous species.

Step-by-step explanation:

The bolide-impact explanation, which refers to the sudden collision of a large meteorite or comet with Earth, predicts A. a sudden extinction. This is due to the immediate and devastating global environmental effects that such an impact would have, potentially including widespread fires, a significant dust cloud blocking sunlight, and drastic climate changes. These events would likely lead to a sharp decline in biodiversity and cause the extinction of numerous species. For example, the impact that occurred at the end of the Cretaceous period is believed to have caused the mass extinction that included the dinosaurs. The debris from the impact would have formed a thick cloud in the atmosphere, blocking out the sun and leading to the death of plants and animals, as in option C from the list of potential aftermaths provided in the supplemental information.

User Denis Bubnov
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