World’s Oldest Impact Crater Discovered in Australia

The 3.5-billion-year-old crater challenges assumptions about Earth's early history and offers insights into the origins of life and continental formation.

The crater, located in Western Australia’s Pilbara region, is 3.5 billion years old—1.3 billion years older than the previous record-holder.
Geologists identified the crater through shatter cones, unique rock formations created by high-pressure meteorite impacts.
The meteorite struck at 36,000 km/h, creating a crater over 100 kilometers wide and dispersing debris globally.
The impact may have shaped Earth's early crust, contributing to the formation of stable landmasses known as cratons, which are the foundation of continents.
Researchers suggest the crater's warm, water-rich environments could have supported early microbial life, offering clues about the origins of life on Earth.

New Atlas

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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