Chicxulub Puerto facts for kids
Chicxulub Puerto is a small town located on the coast of the Mexican state of Yucatán. It sits right on the Gulf of Mexico. This town is about 8 kilometers (5 miles) east of the city of Progreso and 42 kilometers (26 miles) north of Mérida, the capital city of Yucatán. In 2020, about 7,591 people lived in Chicxulub Puerto.
Why is Chicxulub Puerto Famous?
Chicxulub Puerto is most famous for being very close to the center of the Chicxulub crater. This is a huge impact crater that geologists discovered on the Yucatán Peninsula and under the ocean.
The Giant Asteroid Impact
The Chicxulub crater was formed about 66 million years ago. A very large asteroid or comet crashed into Earth at this spot. This massive impact caused the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event. This event led to the extinction of all non-avian dinosaurs, meaning the dinosaurs we often think of disappeared. Chicxulub Puerto is almost exactly at the center of where this huge space rock hit.
What Does the Name Mean?
The name Chicxulub comes from the Yucatec Maya language. It means 'the devil's flea'. It's important not to confuse Chicxulub Puerto with Chicxulub Pueblo. Chicxulub Pueblo is another town located further inland on the peninsula.
