Scientists Uncover Evidence of Asteroid Impact 3.26 Billion Years Ago That Shaped Early Life on Earth

According to a team of scientists led by geologist Nadja Drabon from Harvard University, around 3.26 billion years ago our planet was a big hit scale50 to 200 times larger than the one that ended the dinosaurs’ reign on Earth. Evidence of an asteroid impact named S2 is located in South Africa in a geological formation known as the Barberton Greenstone belt.

By identifying in detail the minerals found at the impact site, researchers reconstructed the sequence of events that followed the disaster. According to them, S2 may be some of the earliest forms of life on Earth. The results and description of the research were published in the journal “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences”.

The rest of the article is below the video

Scientists in South Africa have discovered signs of a collision between Earth and a space rock much larger than the “dinosaur killer”. Through the intensive work of collecting and examining rock samples centimeters apart and analyzing the sedimentary rocks and their chemical composition, Drabon’s team painted a compelling picture of what happened on the day asteroid S2 visited on Earth and how the impact might have affected the original ways of life that lived there. the planet at that time.

Rock S2, according to scientists’ estimates, was 50 to 200 times larger than the “dinosaur killer”. The impact triggered a powerful tsunami that mixed the ocean waters and transported material from land to coastal areas. The heat of the impact increased some of the ocean and warmed the atmosphere, and a thick cloud of dust covered the earth in a thick layer.

The destruction was great, but at that time life on our planet was reduced to simple forms. Analysis of rock samples from South Africa showed that the micro-organisms recovered very quickly. Researchers point to a rapid increase in the number of single-celled organisms that obtain energy from phosphorus and iron.

The impact released and woke up iron ​​​​​​from the depths of the ocean, and the tsunami spread it around the world, including coastal areas. In turn, phosphorus, a very important element in the metabolism of living organisms, delivered to the Earth together with S2. It also increased with the erosion and weathering of rocks.

According to Drabon’s scenario, iron-metabolizing bacteria​​​​​​​​were able to grow unhindered shortly after the impact, especially in shallow coastal waters. Even though it didn’t last long, it was a key element for early life on Earth. – We believe that the effects of a space rock are terrible for life. But this study suggests that some influences may have benefited his life, especially early on, and may have allowed him to thrive, said Drabon.

The collision between the Earth and the S2 rock certainly harmed many life forms that were growing and they barely made ends meet at the time of the impact, but for some it was a real advantage. In a similar context, the impact of the “dinosaur killer” can be considered. If this rock had passed the Earth, mammals might not have left their ecological niches, and dinosaurs might have ruled the Earth for a long time. It is difficult to say whether human civilization would have emerged in such a case.

In the Barberton Greenstone geological formation, the team found evidence of at least eight impacts, including S2. Drabon and her colleagues plan to continue researching the area to better understand how these impacts shaped our planet.

Source: Harvard University, Science Alert