Scientists have probably discovered the oldest evidence of a meteoroid falling to Earth
[ad_1]
Scientists in Australia have discovered tiny fragments of molten rock that are about 3.48 billion years old and may be the oldest evidence of a meteoroid hitting Earth. This became known during the 54th Conference on the Study of the Moon and Planets in Texas, writes Space.com. During the work in Western Australia, scientists discovered small fragments of molten rock, known as spherules, which could have been formed when the meteoroid collided with the Earth. A meteoroid is a small solid celestial body that moves in interplanetary space. Photo: HayDmitriy/Depositphotos Molten stones that rose into the air when the meteoroid collided with Zmele, cooled and solidified in the form of beads the size of a pin head. The scientists concluded that these spherules are “the oldest evidence of a potential bolide impact in Earth’s geologic record.” A bolide is a large meteoroid that explodes in the atmosphere when falling to Earth. Previously, the oldest evidence of meteorite impacts were 3.47 billion-year-old spherules from Western Australia and 3.45 billion-year-old fragments found in South Africa. “This new study documents emissions in slightly older rocks that are 3.48 billion years old (about 10 million years older than previously found),” said Chris Yakymchuk, a geologist at the University of Waterloo in Canada, who was not involved. in the study. Photo: [email protected]/Depositphotos How old the discovered spherules are, scientists determine with the help of isotopes – types of atoms with the same number of protons in the nucleus, but a different number of neutrons. “This is a reliable and reliable dating technique,” said Yakymchuk. The team concluded that the spherules were almost certainly of extraterrestrial origin due to their chemical composition. Scientists say that evidence of meteorite collisions with Earth is difficult to find because plate tectonics and erosion wear down the planet’s crust and can erase traces of ancient impacts. It will be recalled that scientists are tracking a new asteroid named 2023 DW, which may collide with the Earth in 2046, precisely on Valentine’s Day. Read also: An asteroid exploded over the English Channel and entered the Earth’s atmosphere. VIDEO
[ad_2]
Original Source Link
