What is the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary?
Quick Answer
The Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary is the geologic line marking the end of the dinosaurs’ age about 66 million years ago. It is associated with a global mass extinction and the asteroid impact that formed the Chicxulub crater.
The Full Story
The Cretaceous–Paleogene, or K–Pg, boundary is one of the most important turning points in Earth history. It marks the end of the Cretaceous Period and the start of the Paleogene Period about 66 million years ago. Evidence links this boundary to a massive asteroid impact near the present-day Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, which produced the Chicxulub crater. The event, along with major volcanic activity in India’s Deccan Traps, contributed to the extinction of about 75% of species, including non-avian dinosaurs. In mountain and desert regions today, the boundary is studied in exposed rock layers that preserve the aftermath of that global catastrophe.
Key Facts
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"The rock layer that ended the dinosaurs’ world"
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