kt boundary sample

The KT boundary burn layer from the Hell Creek Formation represents one of the most significant geological markers on Earth, signaling the end of the Cretaceous period and the beginning of the Paleogene, roughly 66 million years ago. This layer, found in locations like Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming in the United States, contains evidence of a massive global catastrophe - the impact of the Chicxulub asteroid. The burn layer is characterized by a thin, dark band rich in iridium, an element more abundant in asteroids than in Earth's crust, alongside shocked quartz, microtektites, and soot, indicating widespread wildfires following the impact. This layer is crucial as it's associated with the mass extinction event that wiped out about 75% of Earth's species, including the non-avian dinosaurs, marking a pivotal moment in Earth's biological history.