Massive Asteroid Impact Crater Discovered in Australia: Rewriting Earth's History

The widely accepted theory of an asteroid's cataclysmic collision with Earth causing the extinction of dinosaurs has taken a new turn. A recent revelation indicates that our planet witnessed even more massive asteroid impacts in ancient times than previously understood. This groundbreaking discovery has brought to light a crater that suggests a history of colossal asteroid strikes.

The prominent Chicxulub crater, residing off the coast of Mexico, has been attributed to the extinction event that wiped out not only dinosaurs but also numerous other species around 65 million years ago. However, it also laid the groundwork for the ascent of mammals and eventually paved the way for human dominance. Now, scientists have uncovered evidence suggesting that Earth endured more substantial asteroid impacts than previously recognized.

A groundbreaking research published in Tectonophysics has unveiled what could be the largest asteroid impact in history, surpassing even the renowned Vredefort impact structure in South Africa. This newfound impact zone, named the Deniliquin structure, stretches across an impressive 520 kilometers in diameter, near the New South Wales town of Deniliquin.

Astonishingly, the Australian continent has emerged as a hotspot for asteroid impacts. With 38 confirmed impact structures and 43 potential sites, this region has become a focal point for researchers seeking to comprehend Earth's prehistoric encounters with celestial bodies.

Between 1995 and 2000, scientist Tony Yeates began unraveling patterns that hinted at asteroid impacts of a larger scale than the one responsible for the Chicxulub crater. Building upon this foundation, updated geophysical data from 2015 to 2020 provided compelling evidence of a colossal structure with a seismic dome at its core, expanding a staggering 520 kilometers in diameter. This extraordinary finding led to the christening of the area as the Deniliquin structure, an entity boasting the attributes indicative of a massive asteroid impact.

The magnetic data collected from adjacent regions has unveiled a symmetrical rippling pattern in the crust encircling the formation's core. These findings have further solidified the case, revealing "radial faults" and other magnetic anomalies, indicative of a substantial cosmic collision.

Scientists speculate that the colossal asteroid impact might have occurred approximately 514 million years ago during the early Cambrian period. This remarkable discovery sheds new light on our planet's ancient history, showcasing the powerful forces of nature that shaped its evolution over millions of years.