Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery of an ancient crater that was formed over three billion years ago by the impact of a meteorite. This finding is revolutionizing our understanding of Earth’s history and evolutionary stages. The massive crater was found in the Pilbara region of Western Australia and is believed to be the oldest impact crater in the world, dating back approximately 3.5 billion years. This surpasses the previous record-holder by more than 1.25 billion years, as reported in a study published in Nature Communications.
The research team located the Pilbara crater thanks to a distinct rock formation near the impact site. They found “exceptionally preserved” shatter cones – cone-shaped fractures in rocks caused by extreme pressure from a shock wave. The impact, estimated to have occurred around 3.47 billion years ago, would have been at very high speed, likely more than 22,370 miles per hour.
This “major planetary event” is thought to have created a crater over 60 miles wide. Moreover, the Pilbara crater offers new insights into how meteorites influenced Earth’s early environment, according to Chris Kirkland, a geologist at Curtin University and co-lead author of the study.
The meteorite strike may have played a role in the formation of cratons, stable landmasses that formed the basis of continents. The impact could have triggered seismic activities that shaped the Earth’s crust, pushing layers of crust under each other or causing magma to rise from the mantle. The energy released during the impact may have had a significant impact on the early Earth’s geological processes.
This discovery sheds light on the prevalence of large impacts in the early solar system, as evidenced by the moon’s numerous craters. Impact craters can also create environments conducive to microbial life, such as hot water pools. The study also mentions the East Pilbara Terrain, part of the Pilbara Craton, which contains a landmass estimated to be about 3.48 billion years old.
The second-oldest impact crater, dating back around 2.2 billion years, is also situated in Western Australia, southwest of Pilbara, in Yarrabubba. This discovery marks a significant advancement in our understanding of Earth’s ancient history and the impact of extraterrestrial events on our planet’s evolution.
The discovery of the Pilbara crater in Australia has posed a challenge to existing assumptions about the planet’s ancient history, offering a “key element in understanding Earth’s impact,” remarked Johnson. These findings hint at the possibility of uncovering other ancient craters on Earth that have yet to be found. Johnson noted, “Historically, the lack of truly ancient craters has led geologists to overlook them.” Scientists reveal a 3.5 billion-year-old crater formed by a meteorite impact in Australia. This news was initially reported on abcnews.go.com.
