All articles tagged with #cosmic impact
A study from the University of Zurich suggests Venus may have been struck by a Mars-sized object, which could explain its unusual retrograde rotation and lack of a moon, as well as its geologically young surface due to volcanic resurfacing caused by the impact.
The prehistoric settlement of Abu Hureyra in Syria experienced a cosmic airburst 12,800 years ago, leading to environmental changes that forced hunter-gatherers to adopt agricultural practices for survival. The impact resulted in a shift from a more humid and forested region to a drier and cooler climate, prompting the villagers to cultivate crops such as barley, wheat, and legumes. The evidence also suggests a significant drop in population and changes in settlement architecture to reflect an agrarian lifestyle. This event, along with other similar cosmic airbursts, is believed to have caused the extinction of large animals and the collapse of cultures.