Fischer-Gödde, MarioMarioFischer-GöddeTusch, JonasJonasTuschGoderis, StevenStevenGoderisBragagni, AlessandroAlessandroBragagniMohr-Westheide, TanjaTanjaMohr-WestheideMessling, NilsNilsMesslingElfers, Bo-MagnusBo-MagnusElfersSchmitz, BirgerBirgerSchmitzReimold, Wolf U.Wolf U.ReimoldMaier, Wolfgang D.Wolfgang D.MaierClaeys, PhilippePhilippeClaeysKoeberl, ChristianChristianKoeberlTissot, François L.H.François L.H.TissotBizzarro, MartinMartinBizzarroMünker, CarstenCarstenMünker2024-09-052024-09-052024-08-16Science 385 (6710): 752-756 (2024)https://hdl.handle.net/11420/48967An impact at Chicxulub, Mexico, occurred 66 million years ago, producing a global stratigraphic layer that marks the boundary between the Cretaceous and Paleogene eras. That layer contains elevated concentrations of platinum-group elements, including ruthenium. We measured ruthenium isotopes in samples taken from three Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary sites, five other impacts that occurred between 36 million to 470 million years ago, and ancient 3.5-billion- to 3.2-billion-year-old impact spherule layers. Our data indicate that the Chicxulub impactor was a carbonaceous-type asteroid, which had formed beyond the orbit of Jupiter. The five other impact structures have isotopic signatures that are more consistent with siliceous-type asteroids, which formed closer to the Sun. The ancient spherule layer samples are consistent with impacts of carbonaceous-type asteroids during Earth's final stages of accretion.en1095-920320246710752756American Association for the Advancement of ScienceNatural Sciences and Mathematics::540: ChemistryNatural Sciences and Mathematics::543: AnalysticNatural Sciences and Mathematics::550: Earth Sciences, GeologyJournal Article10.1126/science.adk4868Journal Article