Oklahoma Ames meteor crater is 100 million years younger than thought

Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin discovered that a buried meteor impact crater in Oklahoma is nearly 100 million years younger than previously estimated. ScienceDaily Earth and Earth.com reported that zircon crystals indicate the Ames impact occurred approximately 370 million years ago. [1][5][6]

Because of the revised timeline, the impact was not part of the Ordovician bombardment, which was previously linked to a potential ring of debris surrounding Earth. Instead, ScienceDaily Earth reported that the impact coincided closely with a major mass extinction that devastated marine life. [1][5]

The crater is located beneath the town of Ames, situated in southeastern Major County, Oklahoma. According to census records, the town had a population of 193 residents in 2020, down from 239 in 2010. [1][7]

The revised age alters how scientists interpret key events in Earth's geological history. Researchers will continue evaluating the impact's timing in relation to ancient extinction events. [1]