Archive · 21 Jul 2026
Rare CO Chondrite Meteorite Identified as Dinosaur Killer
Scientists have discovered that the meteorite that killed the dinosaurs 66 million years ago was a rare type called a CO chondrite.
This type of meteorite is very old and not very common.
The impact created a huge crater in Mexico and caused a lot of damage, like big earthquakes, tsunamis, and wildfires.
It also sent a lot of dust and gas into the air, which blocked the sunlight and made the Earth very cold.
This made it hard for plants and animals to survive, leading to the extinction of the dinosaurs.
The scientists think that the fine dust in the air was the main reason for the extinction, not the sulfur from the meteorite.
Scientists identified the dinosaur-killing meteorite as a rare CO chondrite.
The impact created the Chicxulub crater in the Yucatán Peninsula.
The event caused a mass extinction, wiping out 75% of all species.
The meteorite likely originated from the outer asteroid belt near Jupiter.
Fine debris blocking sunlight, not sulfur, was the primary cause of the extinction.
- Who
- Scientists from the University of British Columbia, Paris, Brussels, and Vienna
- What
- Identified the type of meteorite that caused the dinosaur extinction
- When
- 66 million years ago
- Where
- Yucatán Peninsula, Earth
- Why
- To understand the cause of the mass extinction event
Sulfur as Primary Cause
Fine Debris as Primary Cause
Cause of Mass Extinction
Sulfur as Primary Cause
The mass extinction was primarily caused by sulfur released from the asteroid.
Fine Debris as Primary Cause
The mass extinction was primarily caused by fine debris blocking sunlight and disrupting Earth's climate.
- Meteorite Type
- CO chondrite
- Impact Location
- Yucatán Peninsula
- Impact Crater
- Chicxulub crater
- Extinction Percentage
- 75% of all species
- Meteorite Rarity
- 5% of meteorites found on Earth
- Origin
- Outer asteroid belt near Jupiter or another debris-rich region of the outer Solar System