a biological process. This includes the understanding of the crater fill mechanics, chronology, satellite effects such as resurge, pyroclastic explosions, landslide, and more. This covers the mechanics of large impact crater readjustments and the puzzling challenge of “fluidization”, namely making coherent rocks behave like a liquid without melting. This eventually encompass characterizing and understanding the impact induced hydrothermal cell responsible for the prominent hydrothermal overprint at Rochechouart, the possible nutriments, habitats and conditions of potential emergence of life at impact craters and the testing of the recent theories and models involving impacts as prominent actors of the habitability of planets. Despite this exceptional potential Rochechouart was until very recently, one of the least, if not the least, investigated large impact crater on Earth. This has to do in part with the heavy vegetal cover masking the geology. But the situation is changing rapidly with the installation of the CIRIR (Center for International Research on Impact and on Rochechouart) on site and with the launch of CIRIR programs starting with the first series of drillings of the Rochechouart history. The later realized in eight sites of the National Reserve have just been completed. The scientific exploitation of the cores, with currently 60 projects and 60 teams from 12 nations scattered on 4 continents as part of the CIRIR program is just starting. The curatorial facility on site for hosting the drill cores and the surface samples as part of the impact on shelve is under construction. The sister facility for hosting scientists and students coming worldwide for studying impact cratering and or training in planetary geology, is under construction too. All this is possible because of the support of the local territories investing in the CIRIR, because of the State and the local territories both supporting the National Natural Reserve, because of the interest of the scientific community impact, and because of the value and the interest of the Rochechouart impact structure. References External links The Rochechouart impact crater, at virtual-geology.info Impact craters of France Triassic impact craters Triassic–Jurassic extinction event Triassic France Landforms of Haute-Vienne