Ames Astrobleme Museum
A 1991 Oklahoma oil discovery in a hidden meteor crater attracted worldwide attention.
Millions of years ago, a meteor 1,000 feet wide struck north-central Oklahoma, creating an impact crater — an astrobleme — more than eight miles wide. Originally thought to be 450 million years old, researchers in 2026 examined zircon crystals found inside the crater and dated the impact to around 370 million years ago.
The small town of Ames (population 190 in 2024) has claimed the Paleozoic Era crater as its own with an annual celebration. The impact sight also marks a milestone in the geological knowledge of the global petroleum industry.
