The Chicxulub impact event refers to a catastrophic collision between Earth and a large asteroid

that occurred approximately 66 million years ago. This event is believed to have caused the
extinction of non-avian dinosaurs, as well as many other species, and marked the end of the
Cretaceous period and the beginning of the Paleogene period.
The impact occurred off the coast of what is now the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico and is estimated
to have been around 10-15 km in diameter. The impact released a massive amount of energy,
equivalent to several billion times the energy of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and
Nagasaki, and caused global climate change, including wildfires and a nuclear winter-like effect
that may have lasted for years.
The Chicxulub impact has been extensively studied by scientists from various fields, including
geology, paleontology, and planetary science, using a range of methods such as geologic fieldwork,
sediment analysis, and computer simulations. These studies have provided a wealth of information
about the impact and its aftermath.
One of the most significant findings is the identification of a global boundary layer that marks the
end of the Cretaceous period and the beginning of the Paleogene period. This boundary layer,
known as the K-Pg boundary, contains a high concentration of iridium, which is rare in Earth's
crust but abundant in asteroids. This discovery supported the hypothesis that an asteroid impact
was responsible for the extinction event.