What caused the extinction of the dinosaurs? This course explores the discovery of the Chicxulub crater and its connection to a massive asteroid impact 66 million years ago. 

We examine how scientists uncovered the evidence and the challenges they faced in proving the theory. The course explains the environmental consequences and how life on Earth was transformed. 

An engaging introduction to one of the most dramatic events in Earth’s history.

DELIVERY MODE

Face to face

COURSE OUTLINE

• Discovery of the crater in the 1970s during exploration for petroleum in the Yucatán Peninsula
• Efforts of geophysists Antonio Camargo and Glen Penfield some years to persuade the scientific world that the evidence of the crater was clear
• The impact of the discovery on the narrative about the extinction of dinosaurs (Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction)
• Ongoing research and theories

LEARNING OUTCOMES

• Develop an appreciation of the significance to science of the discovery of the Crater
• Appreciate the efforts of Camargo and Penfield in presenting their case to a sceptical scientific world