description Chicxulub Overview
Buried beneath Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula and extending offshore, Chicxulub is a large impact structure associated with the asteroid strike at the end of the Cretaceous. Its significance comes from the connection between that collision and the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction, when roughly three quarters of species disappeared, including the non-avian dinosaurs. It is studied mainly through geological evidence rather than as an exposed crater bowl. Drilling samples and geophysical surveys help researchers examine the impact and the rocks altered by it.
Paleontologists connect this evidence with changes in the fossil record, while geologists investigate how a sudden collision affected Earth's environment. Chicxulub stands apart within the crater category because its importance reaches beyond the impact site itself, linking a buried structure to a worldwide biological crisis.
help Chicxulub FAQ
Where is the Chicxulub crater located?
The Chicxulub crater is a massive impact structure buried beneath the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. Its center is located offshore near the town of Chicxulub, for which the crater is named.
How big was the asteroid that created the Chicxulub crater?
The asteroid that struck Earth 66 million years ago is estimated to have been about 10 kilometers (6 miles) in diameter. The impact created a crater roughly 150 kilometers (93 miles) wide.
Did the Chicxulub impact kill the dinosaurs?
The Chicxulub impact is widely accepted as the primary cause of the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event, which wiped out all non-avian dinosaurs. The impact triggered massive tsunamis, global wildfires, and a 'nuclear winter' effect that blocked out the sun.
Who discovered the Chicxulub crater?
The crater was discovered in the late 1970s by geophysicists Antonio Camargo and Glen Penfield, who were initially searching for oil. The connection to the dinosaur extinction was established in the early 1990s by a team led by Alan Hildebrand.
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