The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Ames is a known impact structure buried beneath Oklahoma, and a 2026 study reports evidence that it may be much younger than its long-accepted Ordovician age. Its youngest zircon dates point to a minimum age near the Late Devonian Frasnian–Famennian extinction, about 372 million years ago. That possible timing makes Ames relevant to the extinction story, but it does not show that the impact caused or worsened the event.
What the new study says about Ames
In a paper published July 7, 2026, Elizabeth Catlos and coauthors reported new radioisotopic constraints for the Ames impact structure. They analyzed zircon from impact-melt material using uranium–lead (U–Pb) dating. The youngest grains yielded a weighted mean of 369.7 ± 5.9 million years ago (Ma). The authors interpret this as a minimum-age constraint, not a precise date for the impact itself. Read the study in Meteoritics & Planetary Science.
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The result could put Ames near the Frasnian–Famennian boundary, dated in the paper at 371.8–372.4 Ma using published calibrations. The paper presents a possible Late Devonian age, not a settled one: its authors qualify the interpretation with “If our U–Pb zircon dates are correct” and call for additional material and dating. They also note that textures in the youngest grains are not uniformly diagnostic of impact deformation.
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Which extinction event is at issue?
The proposed connection is to the Late Devonian Frasnian–Famennian event, around 372 Ma—not the end-Permian mass extinction, which occurred about 252 Ma. The Ames paper concerns whether the crater’s age may coincide with the Late Devonian event. It does not connect Ames to the end-Permian extinction. USGS research identifies Siberian Traps magmatism, particularly sill emplacement, as the likely trigger of the end-Permian event. See the USGS summary of that research.
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Even if Ames formed close to the Frasnian–Famennian boundary, the overlap would establish timing, not causation. The new dates do not demonstrate that the impact triggered the extinction or materially worsened it.
Why the age evidence differs
The older Ordovician assignment relied largely on conodont biostratigraphy: fossil evidence from material filling the crater. The 2026 study tests that interpretation with radiometric dating of impact-melt material. These methods examine different materials and do not provide interchangeable readings of the same event.
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- Adhesive backing attaches the PopGrip to your case or device. Will not stick to silicone,leather,waterproof,or highly textured cases. Works best with smooth,hard,plastic cases.
- Not compatible with wireless charging
- Printed top is swappable with other compatible PopGrip models. Just press flat,turn 90 degrees until you hear a click and remove to swap.
| Evidence | What it dates or records | Result and interpretation | Key limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conodont biostratigraphy | Fossil-bearing material in the crater fill | Supports the established Ordovician assignment | The paper says the fossil constraint was based on limited material and cautions against relying on only a few conodont fragments. |
| U–Pb zircon dating | Zircon from impact-melt material | Youngest-grain weighted mean of 369.7 ± 5.9 Ma, interpreted as a minimum-age constraint that may place Ames in the Late Devonian | Sample material was limited, and the link between the dated grains and impact crystallization is not fully resolved; some grain textures are not diagnostic of impact deformation. |
| Plagioclase 40Ar/39Ar dating | Plagioclase analyzed from the structure | Approximate total-fusion dates of 310.5 Ma and 250.5 Ma, interpreted by the authors as later thermal overprinting | The authors associate these younger signals with post-impact heating during burial and basin evolution, rather than with crater formation. |
The study also reports an upper Concordia intercept of 1401.2 ± 8.1 Ma for the impacted granodiorite’s zircon emplacement age. That figure dates the target rock, not the impact, and should not be mistaken for an Ames crater age.
What Ames is—and where it is
Ames is a buried structure beneath the town of Ames in northwest Oklahoma, not a crater visible at the surface. Seismic exploration revealed its unusual form in 1991. The Oklahoma Geological Survey describes it as roughly circular, about 10 miles (16 km) across, and buried beneath approximately 9,000 feet (2.7 km) of sediment. The 2026 paper describes the complex central-uplift crater’s outer rim as 14–16 km in diameter. These measurements refer to descriptions of the structure and may use different boundaries. The Oklahoma Geological Survey’s overview gives the earlier age estimate of about 470 million years.
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- MagSafe compatible wallets magnetically snap on and off your phone with ease,and come with a matching grip. Carries three cards for easy use.
- Adaptor ring included. Make any phone case MagSafe compatible by attaching the adaptor ring. A phone case is required but not included to use the wallet.
- Printed top is swappable. Close and twist to swap the top with a new design with other compatible PopGrip models.
What would settle the question?
The age conflict cannot be resolved by treating one result as definitive while ignoring the other. The authors identify the need for additional appropriate samples and dates. More representative material could help establish whether the youngest zircons directly record impact crystallization and clarify how the fossil-bearing crater fill relates to the impact event.
Lead author Elizabeth Catlos described the proposed shift in a Space.com report as “taking a major pawn out of the Ordovician Meteor Event and dumping it into the Frasnian–Famennian event.” That vivid description is stronger than the paper’s cautious scientific framing: the article reports a minimum-age constraint and a possible association, while acknowledging unresolved dating questions. Space.com’s October 5, 2026 report provides the interview context.
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- Magnetically snaps on and off your phone case so you can easily swap between MagSafe compatible accessories.
- Adaptor ring included. Make any phone case MagSafe compatible by attaching the adaptor ring. A phone case is required but not included to use the wallet.
- Printed top is swappable. Close and twist to swap the top with a new design with other compatible PopGrip models.
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