The origin of the crater in Mexico, also known as the Chicxulub crater, dates back 66 million years to the late Cretaceous period. It's believed to have formed as a result of a massive asteroid or comet about 10 kilometers in diameter hitting the Earth. This catastrophic event is largely associated with the extinction of the dinosaurs. The impact would have triggered fires, tsunamis, and released billions of tons of sulphur into the atmosphere, creating a "nuclear winter" effect. Today, this crater is buried under several layers of sediment, making it a fascinating subject for scientific study.