Scientists have confirmed what lies beneath layers of eroded rock in Western Australia’s Midwest region is the oldest known asteroid impact site on Earth, dated at 2.229 billion years. The Yarrabubba crater, located near Meekatharra, predates other impact structures by 200 million years.
A team of geologists from Curtin University and Imperial College London used uranium-lead dating to analyze minerals like zircon and monazite, which contain uranium that decays into lead over time. The findings were published in Nature Communications.
The significance of Yarrabubba extends beyond its age, with researchers suggesting it could have triggered a climate shift at the end of the Huronian glaciation, a period when Earth was covered in ice. Computer simulations suggest an asteroid impact could have vaporized massive amounts of ice, injecting water vapor into the atmosphere and contributing to a warming trend.
The discovery is significant as Yarrabubba’s age aligns with a time when Earth’s climate was still icy, raising questions about the role of asteroid impacts in shaping the planet’s climate. Researchers believe this impact could have ended an ice age, and similar events could trigger significant climate shifts in the future.
The crater’s deep erosion made it difficult to find, but advanced geological tools and magnetic anomalies beneath the surface revealed its presence. The discovery reshapes our understanding of Earth’s early history and highlights the role asteroid impacts played in shaping the planet’s geology and climate.
Source: https://dailygalaxy.com/2025/03/the-worlds-oldest-asteroid-crater-has-finally-been-identified-and-it-may-have-changed-earths-climate