Researchers have confirmed the discovery of a massive impact crater in southern China, created by a meteorite that struck the Earth approximately 10,000 years ago. The force of the impact is estimated to have been equivalent to 40 Hiroshima-sized atomic bombs.
The site, named the Junlin Crater, is located near Zhaoqing city in Guangdong province. It is only the fifth confirmed impact crater found in China and the very first one discovered in the country’s southern region.
The crater measures approximately 2,950 feet across. According to Chen Ming, a researcher at the Center for High-Pressure Science and Technology, the impact would have released energy comparable to 600,000 tons of TNT. This powerful blast would have had transformative effects on the surrounding environment, instantly altering the landscape and causing a significant shock to the local ecosystem.
