Nestled on a hillside in Guangdong Province near Zhaoqing City, the Jinlin crater managed to hide in plain sight until researchers identified it as an impact structure. Only about 200 confirmed impact craters exist worldwide, making each discovery scientifically valuable. But this one stands out for its exceptional size and youth.

The crater formed during the Holocene epoch when the last ice age ended roughly 11,700 years ago. Based on measurements of nearby soil erosion, researchers estimate it was carved sometime during the early to mid Holocene. With a diameter between 820 and 900 metres and a depth of 90 metres, it dwarfs Russia's 300 metre Macha crater, previously the largest known Holocene impact structure.

Finding such a massive, well preserved crater is surprising given the region's climate. Guangdong Province experiences regular monsoons, heavy rainfall, and high humidity precisely the conditions that accelerate erosion and should have long ago obliterated any visible crater. Yet the Jinlin crater remains remarkably intact, preserved within thick layers of weathered granite that protected its structure from the elements.