Oldest Asteroid Crater Found in Australia

Scientists have uncovered Earth’s oldest known asteroid impact crater, buried in the Australian outback and dating back 3 billion years — a revelation that reshapes our understanding of early Earth. Using a “mineral clock” technique on zircon crystals altered by the impact’s heat, researchers pinpointed the event in Western Australia’s Pilbara region, near the North Pole Dome. The crater formed during the Archean eon, when oceans and early life like stromatolites existed, and likely struck a shallow sea. Independent dating using apatite crystals confirmed the age, strengthening the findings. While the asteroid’s size and crater dimensions remain unknown, this discovery underscores Western Australia’s vital role in unraveling Earth’s ancient history. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/9c7ccbfff3d6c1bb