Meteorite Impact 2 Billion Years Ago May Have Ended an Ice Age

The Australian crater Yarrabubba is the oldest known on Earth, according to new measurements, and it might be linked to the end of a “Snowball Earth” ice age.

By Erika K. Carlson
Jan 21, 2020 6:00 AMJan 21, 2020 9:56 PM
meteorite impact
A powerful, ancient impact created Yarrabubba crater in Western Australia, and new research found the strike occurred some 2.2 billion years ago, making the crater the oldest known on Earth. (Credit: James Thew/iStock/Thinkstock)

Newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news
 

Yarrabubba crater in Western Australia stretches roughly 40 miles across. And since its discovery in 2003, scientists have speculated it's one of Earth’s oldest meteorite craters. Now, a team of researchers has pinned down the crater's precise age, revealing it’s about 2.23 billion years old. This officially makes Yarrabubba the oldest known crater on Earth, surpassing the age of Vredefort crater by about 200 million years.

0 free articles left
Want More? Get unlimited access for as low as $1.99/month

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

0 free articlesSubscribe
Discover Magazine Logo
Want more?

Keep reading for as low as $1.99!

Subscribe

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

Stay Curious

Sign up for our weekly newsletter and unlock one more article for free.

 

View our Privacy Policy


Want more?
Keep reading for as low as $1.99!


Log In or Register

Already a subscriber?
Find my Subscription

More From Discover
Recommendations From Our Store
Shop Now
Stay Curious
Join
Our List

Sign up for our weekly science updates.

 
Subscribe
To The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Copyright © 2023 Kalmbach Media Co.