Dinosaur Killer

Q: The asteroid that is believed to have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs landed in which modern day country?

Where Did the Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Land?

Around 66 million years ago, a massive asteroid slammed into Earth and triggered one of the most famous extinction events in history — the end of the dinosaurs. This colossal impact left behind a scar on our planet that we can still see today: the Chicxulub crater.

So, where did it land? The impact site is located on the Yucatán Peninsula in present-day Mexico. Measuring over 180 kilometres (110 miles) wide and more than 20 kilometres (12 miles) deep, the Chicxulub crater is one of the largest confirmed impact craters on Earth.

The force of the impact unleashed wildfires, tsunamis, and a "nuclear winter" effect as dust and debris blocked sunlight, collapsing ecosystems worldwide. While some life managed to survive, the dinosaurs were not so lucky — their 165-million-year reign came to a dramatic end.

Today, scientists continue to study the Chicxulub crater for clues about how life on Earth can recover after catastrophic events. It’s a chilling reminder that our planet’s history has been shaped by cosmic collisions — and that the land we stand on once witnessed the day the dinosaurs’ world ended.