Among the hilly forests of southern China, scientists have discovered the largest modern meteorite impact crater on Earth. Dubbed the Jinlin crater, the giant pitted scar could become an invaluable tool for learning how and when extraterrestrial objects crash into our planet. The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content.

Located in a remote, hilly region in the northwest of Guangdong Province, not far from Zhaoqing City, scientists report that the crater measures 820 to 900 meters (2,690 to 2,952 feet) in diameter with a depth of 90 meters (295 feet). This far surpasses the size of the previously largest known modern impact structure, the 300-meter (984-feet) Macha crater in Russia.

All evidence suggests it was formed relatively rec

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