Meteorite Crater Over 10,000 Years Old Discovered in Southern China

Scientists have discovered a crater in Guangdong province, southern China, which is believed to have formed from a meteorite impact approximately 10,000 years ago, as reported by the South China Morning Post.

The crater, named Qinglin, is located near the city of Zhaoqing. According to researchers, this marks the fifth confirmed meteorite crater found in China and the first located in the southern part of the country.

Scientists estimate that the celestial body, with a diameter of approximately 30 meters, released energy equivalent to around 600,000 tons of TNT, or about 40 times the power of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. This event significantly altered the surrounding landscape and had severe consequences for the local ecosystem.

To investigate the origin of the crater, researchers analyzed quartz samples found within it and discovered microscopic glass layers, which can only form under conditions of extreme pressure and high temperature. Such conditions can occur only during a meteorite impact. Ongoing research is aimed at precisely determining the age of the crater and its geological structure.