Did an Asteroid Impact Make the Gulf of Mexico??

Some people think the Gulf of Mexico was created by a giant asteroid crash. After all, didn’t one hit near the Yucatán and wipe out the dinosaurs?

That’s partly true — but it’s actually two different events!

✨ The Real Story of the Gulf

About 150 million years ago, the supercontinent Pangaea started to break apart. As North America pulled away from South America and Africa, the crust stretched and sank. This left behind a huge low spot — a rift basin. Slowly, water from the Atlantic Ocean flowed in and filled it. That’s how the Gulf of Mexico was born.

☄️ The Dinosaur Killer

Much later — 66 million years ago — a massive asteroid slammed into the Yucatán Peninsula. That left the Chicxulub crater, about 110 miles wide. The impact sent dust and firestorms across the globe, leading to the extinction of the dinosaurs.

So, did an Asteroid Impact Make the Gulf of Mexico? No, the Gulf was already there long before the asteroid hit. The two events just happened in the same region — separated by nearly 100 million years!

👉 Next time you look at a map, remember: the Gulf of Mexico is the result of slow-moving plate tectonics, not a single crash.

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