All articles tagged with #geological evidence
Scientists confirmed that the Silverpit Crater beneath the North Sea was formed by a 45-million-year-old asteroid impact, which caused a massive tsunami and ended a long-standing debate about its origin, using new seismic imaging and shocked crystal analysis as definitive evidence.
Scientists have found geological evidence suggesting that volcanic lightning associated with explosive eruptions may have played a crucial role in fixing nitrogen, making it available for biological processes during Earth's early years. The discovery of significant amounts of nitrates in ancient volcanic deposits indicates that rampant volcanism may have been essential in supplying building blocks for life's emergence. This finding challenges previous assumptions about the origin of nitrate deposits and could have important implications for understanding the role of subaerial explosive eruptions in the emergence of life on Earth.
A new study explores the idea that a cataclysmic asteroid impact could have turned ancient Earth into a Snowball state, covering almost every inch of land and sea in ice. Simulations show that injecting sulfate aerosols into the stratosphere at varying concentrations, similar to those generated by a massive asteroid strike, could push already cold climates into a Snowball state. While there is no geologic evidence yet, the study suggests that asteroids should be considered as potential suspects for triggering global glaciation, emphasizing the importance of developing a planetary defense system to prevent such catastrophic events.
New geological evidence suggests that the last super-eruption at Yellowstone volcano, which occurred 631,000 years ago, was not one huge explosion but a series of eruptions or multiple vents spewing volcanic material in rapid succession. Scientists have found four previously unrecognized ignimbrite units at Sour Creek, suggesting at least four eruptive pulses. They also found two structures that appear to be eruptive vents, which may have been the sources of these rocks. Researchers at the volcano now plan to carry out detailed examinations of the newly discovered units and the boundaries between them.