Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
Scientists suggest that the extinction of dinosaurs due to an asteroid impact allowed grapes to spread widely, paving the way for modern vineyards.
Researchers from the Field Museum in Chicago discovered fossilized grape seeds dating back 60 to 19 million years in Colombia, Panama, and Peru, revealing the evolution of the grape family in the Western Hemisphere.
Approximately 66 million years ago, an asteroid larger than Mount Everest struck Earth, leading to the extinction of three-quarters of all life, including dinosaurs.
The extinction of large dinosaurs likely led to denser forests as these creatures were no longer knocking down trees, creating an environment conducive to the growth of vine plants like grapes.
The diversification of small mammals and birds after the mass extinction helped spread grape seeds, further facilitating the proliferation of grape vines.
Fabiany Herrera, lead author of the study, noted that these are the oldest grapes found in this region, just a few million years younger than the oldest grapes found globally, indicating a significant post-dinosaur spread.
The mass extinction event led to a “reset” of forests, changing plant compositions and allowing vine plants to climb and thrive in the new environment.
The findings, highlighting the significant impact of the asteroid on plant evolution and grape spread, were published in the journal Nature Plants.