title: Extinction of dinosaurs:  a possible novel cause.
abstract: A novel cause of mass extinction of fauna close to the (K/T) Boundary is suggested.  A large amount of non-protein amino acids (AIB and ISOVAL) has been observed close to this event.  It is speculated that these amino acids may be toxic and are responsible for the extinction.  The toxicity level is estimated for this suggestion to be true and experimentalists are encouraged to test this level of toxicity for the amino acids.
authors.affiliation: Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bombay, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramadurai
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lloyd
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wallis
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Wickramasinghe
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000506:poisoning; D000621:Aminoisobutyric Acids / Q000506:poisoning*; D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D003718:Denmark; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005118:Extraterrestrial Environment; D005580:Fossils; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D007495:Iridium / Q000032:analysis; D019110:Meteoroids; D010163:Paleontology; D012104:Reptiles; D014633:Valine / Q000506:poisoning*
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D000621:Aminoisobutyric Acids; C100049:2-aminoisobutyric acid; D007495:Iridium; C032737:isovaline; D014633:Valine