A shattered asteroid may have bombarded Earth 800 million years ago
Researchers suggest that a massive asteroid collision 800 million years ago may have triggered a series of impacts across the inner solar system. This event potentially influenced Earth's climate and the evolution of life, though geological evidence remains difficult to recover.
Why it matters
Understanding ancient asteroid impacts helps scientists better comprehend the history of Earth's biosphere and the potential for future planetary threats.
A violent collision in the main asteroid belt may have triggered a prolonged wave of impacts across the inner solar system about 800 million years ago, according to a study led by the Southwest Research Institute.
The researchers propose that the breakup of the parent object that formed the Eulalia asteroid family sent large amounts of debris toward Earth, the Moon, and Mars. If the connection is correct, the event may have produced geological changes across several worlds and could even have influenced Earth's climate and biosphere.
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