Here's a great article in PNAS describing the recent findings from drilling exploration of the Chicxulub crater, the crater resulting from the asteroid impact that killed off the dinosaurs (and 75% of other species on the planet) 66 million years ago. The article discusses the rebound of life after this apocalypse, and sheds light on the role of asteroids in stirring up conditions necessary for the creation of life:
"The Chicxulub crater, shown here in an artist’s conception, formed a little more than 66 million years ago when a meteorite plowed into Earth’s surface, wiping out 75% of all species on the planet. But recent findings suggest the impact actually could have helped generate the conditions necessary for the creation of life itself. Image courtesy of Detlev van Ravenswaay/ScienceSource."
