If we humans did not chronically overestimate self and underestimate risk then we’d all choose to kill ourselves. Individuals can be smart. But, when pressured or at scale we’re really fucking stupid.

causing months of distortions and damage

It wasn’t months. It was centuries of upheaval before systems restabilized, double digit human generations.

Sure, the meteror’s impact wouldn’t kill all of humanity. The subsequent choices of the few that remained almost certainly would. We’re fragile, ordinary creatures that just got here and immediately set about killing one another and the planet itself.

The Deccan Traps probably didn’t help either.

Oh, by the way, didn’t the Phlegraean Fields start acting up recently…?