Chicxulub impactor identified as rare Ornans carbonaceous chondrite

A study published in *Science Advances* by an international team led by the University of Paris used high‑precision nickel‑isotope analysis of marine clay deposited worldwide after the Chicxulub event. The researchers concluded that the 66‑million‑year‑old impactor was an Ornans‑class carbonaceous chondrite (CO), a type that makes up only about 5 % of known meteorites and an even smaller fraction of that group. The asteroid measured roughly 10–15 km in diameter and struck the Yucatán Peninsula at an estimated speed of 64 000 km/h, creating the Chicxulub crater and triggering the mass extinction that eliminated roughly 75 % of species, including non‑avian dinosaurs. The rarity of the meteorite underscores the extraordinary cosmic odds that led to the dinosaurs’ demise. Scientists such as Philippe Claeys (University of British Columbia) highlighted that the composition differs markedly from typical museum specimens, offering new insight into early Solar System material.