Mega meteorite tore up seabed and boiled Earth's oceans

A significant meteorite, discovered in 2014, has been found to have caused a tsunami larger than any recorded in human history and boiled the oceans of early Earth, according to scientists. This meteorite, which was between 40 and 60 kilometers in diameter, was much larger than the one that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs. That meteorite was about 10 kilometers wide, while this one, known as S2, was 200 times its size. The impact occurred around three billion years ago when Earth was still in its infancy, resembling a water world with only a few continents. At that time, life was very simple, consisting mainly of single-celled microorganisms. To study the impact, a team of scientists, led by Professor Nadja Drabon from Harvard University, traveled to South Africa to collect rock samples from the Eastern Barberton Greenstone Belt, one of the oldest places on Earth with evidence of meteorite impacts. nnThe team faced challenges during their expedition, hiking into remote mountains with rangers for protection against wild animals like elephants and rhinos. They were searching for tiny rock fragments called spherules, which were created by the impact. Using sledgehammers, they collected hundreds of kilograms of rock to analyze in their laboratories. Professor Drabon humorously noted that she often gets stopped by security when traveling with the samples, but she explains the importance of their research to get through. The scientists reconstructed the events of the S2 meteorite impact, which gouged out a massive 500-kilometer crater and sent rocks flying into the atmosphere, creating a cloud that encircled the globe. Professor Drabon described this cloud as being similar to a rain cloud, but instead of water droplets, it contained molten rock raining down. nnThe impact generated a colossal tsunami that swept across the planet, tearing up the seafloor and flooding coastlines. The energy released from the impact would have produced extreme heat, boiling the oceans and causing significant evaporation. Air temperatures could have risen by as much as 100 degrees Celsius, and the skies would have turned dark due to dust and particles. This lack of sunlight would have devastated simple life forms that depended on photosynthesis. However, the research team made a surprising discovery. The rock samples indicated that the violent disturbances from the impact churned up essential nutrients like phosphorus and iron, which nourished simple organisms. Professor Drabon explained that life was not only resilient but also rebounded quickly after the impact. She likened it to brushing your teeth, which kills most bacteria, but they return by the end of the day. The findings suggest that these massive impacts acted like a giant fertilizer, distributing vital ingredients for life across the planet. The tsunami also brought iron-rich water from the depths to the surface, providing early microbes with additional energy. This research supports the growing belief among scientists that early life on Earth was actually aided by the series of violent impacts that occurred during its formative years. Professor Drabon concluded that life after the impact encountered favorable conditions that allowed it to flourish. The results of their study were published in the scientific journal PNAS.