Owl 'compulsive surgery' from space

A collision 300 million years ago between a giant asteroid and South Australia has forever changed the face of the world.

The asteroid attack of nearly 10 km in diameter left the impact crater as wide as 193km, the third largest in this form on the surface of the globe, and most likely triggered mass extinctions worldwide. .

'The dust and emissions that cause the greenhouse effect come out of the collision, drag the seismic shock and the appearance of a terrible fireball that has grilled a large area on Earth , ' said co-author Andrew. Glikson of the Australian National University study.

The Earth had been hit by an asteroid attack nearly 10,000 meters in diameter

He added that greenhouse gas emissions have remained in the atmosphere for tens of thousands of years, according to the Tectonophysics report.

Evidence of ancient collisions was only found after another researcher told Dr Glikson about unusual mineral deposits in the Warburton East lowlands in South Australia.

Over time, the impact hole was buried below 4,000m of soil.

To identify this as a trace of an asteroid collision, Dr. Glikson and colleagues analyzed quartz particles collected from the area, and studied the traces of the earthquake and love. Abnormal state of magnetism here.

The Conversation quoted Dr. Simon O'Toole of the Australian Astronomical Observatory, the latest evidence in South Australia showing the link between asteroids attacks and historical mass extinctions. Earth.