Meteor hit Oklahoma 100 million years later than previously thought

AI Summary

Researchers have revised the estimated timing of the Ames meteor impact in Oklahoma, changing a detail of the region's geological history. The buried crater is also economically significant because it is a major oil and gas producing area.

Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have rewritten a small part of Oklahoma's geologic history with global implications for ancient life. Below the surface of the small town of Ames, Oklahoma, a meteor impact site spans miles. The crater is buried by sedimentary strata in the subsurface, but it remains an important marker of Oklahoma's ancient past and present-day economy; the Ames impact structure is a major oil and gas producer.