Comet impacts have long fascinated humans, but scientists often overlook them as rare events. However, researchers from the University of South Carolina recently made a groundbreaking discovery that sheds light on one of history’s most significant climate shifts.
Led by Dr. Christopher Moore, a team analyzed sediment from Baffin Bay in Greenland and found evidence of a comet impact 13,000 years ago during the Younger Dryas period. This event, which was previously known only through land-based research, suggests that a comet impact triggered an abrupt cooling of the atmosphere.
The discovery was made using a new technique to identify platinum nanoparticles in the sediment cores. Platinum is a rare element found in asteroids and comets, making its presence in ocean cores a significant finding. The team also identified high-temperature meltglass, which is formed by impact events.
This finding corroborates previous research that suggested a fragmented comet event caused a massive wildfire and led to the extinction of dozens of large animal species. The Younger Dryas hypothesis proposes that this event triggered an ice age-like climate shift, known as a “mini-ice age.”
While the impact hypothesis remains debated, Dr. Moore believes that celestial debris impacts Earth more frequently than previously documented. He suggests that small meteorites fall into oceans daily without causing damage.
The discovery of comet impact evidence in ocean cores provides new insights into prehistoric archaeology and climate change. The team’s findings underscore the potential of oceanic records to broaden our understanding of significant events like the Younger Dryas catastrophe.
Source: https://www.sc.edu/uofsc/posts/2025/08/08-younger-dryas-comet.php