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Where is the Chicxulub crater located?
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Earth impact hazard
An artist's rendering of the impact of a near-Earth object 66 million years ago in what is today the Caribbean region. Many scientists think that the collision of a large asteroid or comet nucleus with Earth triggered the mass extinction of dinosaurs and many other species near the end of the Cretaceous Period.
The Chicxulub crater is located off the northern coastline of the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico.1
Because the impact occurred in the water, the crater is not visible on the surface of the Earth. Today, it is partially submerged underwater and partially covered by rainforest. Its presence was confirmed through geological data, including magnetic and gravity surveys, as well as core samples that revealed evidence of the extreme heat and pressure associated with an asteroid impact. The crater's rim also influences local groundwater flow, which has contributed to the formation of numerous sinkholes known as cenotes in the region.12