An asteroid struck somewhere north of Australia 11 million years ago, scattering molten glass across a 900-kilometre ellipse in South Australia — yet scientists still cannot find the crater it left be
Scientists have identified a new field of impact glass in South Australia, suggesting an asteroid struck the region 11 million years ago. While the debris field has been mapped, the specific impact crater remains undiscovered.
Why it matters
This discovery challenges current understanding of geological history and demonstrates how scientists can reconstruct ancient planetary events through chemical analysis of debris.
The glass is small enough to sit in a museum drawer, but the event it points to was not small.
The article is a straightforward scientific report based on peer-reviewed research without political or social framing.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in