Life and Death by Impact

What is the talk about?

What can a 66-million-year-old impact crater reveal about the past and future of life on Earth? Dr. Sean Gulick explores the science behind one of the most dramatic events in Earth’s history, the asteroid impact that ended the age of dinosaurs. From discovering a giant crater in Mexico to drilling deep into the Earth to link this impact to the mass extinction, Dr. Gulick unpacks the explosive chain of events that wiped out 75 percent of life on the planet. Current research is studying how meteorite impacts shape planets, create new ecosystems, and may even help life begin on Earth and on other worlds. Check out the list of hands-on Cool Activities here!

About our presenter

Sean Gulick

Sean is Co-Director of the Center for Planetary Systems Habitability and a Research Professor at The University of Texas at Austin. He holds a PhD from Lehigh University and is an expert in tectonic processes, climate interactions, and planetary science. His research spans nearly every continent on Earth as well as the Moon and Mars, where he studies natural hazards such as earthquakes and glaciers, as well as events like asteroid impacts. Sean’s work helps uncover how extreme events shape Earth’s past and inform the search for life beyond our planet.