29 Jun 2021
Comet impact could have paved the way for human civilization
- A recent study reviewed existing research on the Younger Dryas impact hypothesis.
- The study notes that there is a “synchronicity” of geochemical signals suggesting that fragments of a comet struck Earth about 13,000 years ago.
- Still, more research is needed to shed light on how the alleged impact might have shaped the future of human civilization.
Scientists generally agree that a massive asteroid or comet killed the dinosaurs when it hit Earth 66 million years ago. Could a more recent cosmic impact have had the opposite effect on humans by helping usher in the dawn of civilization?
The “overwhelming consensus of evidence” suggests that a comet did just that about 13,000 years ago, according to a new study published in Earth Sciences Opinion. The study reviewed existing research on the Younger Dryas impact hypothesis, which in various forms argues that a comet caused significant extinctions, climate change, and changes in human culture towards 10,900 BCE.
The idea is not really new. In his 1883 book Ragnarok: The Age of Fire and GravelMinnesota writer and congressman Ignatius L. Donnelly wrote about how a huge comet hit Earth about 12,000 years ago, destroying the mythical “lost continent” of Atlantis. But the hypothesis first entered the scientific stream with a 2007 study which proposed:
“… one or more large, low density [extraterrestrial] objects exploded over northern North America, partially destabilizing the Laurentian ice cap and triggering [Younger Dryas] cooling. Shock wave, thermal pulse, and event-related environmental effects (e.g., extensive biomass burning and dietary limitations) contributed to megafauna extinctions and adaptive changes in PaleoAmericans of America. North at the end of the Pleistocene.
In other words, prehistoric humans could have witnessed a catastrophic cosmic impact that sparked widespread forest fires, global cooling, and the extinction of large animals, some of which could have preyed on humans. It is still not known if the impact has occurred. But in the centuries after the comet hit Earth, human cultures made broad transitions from hunter-gatherer societies to agriculture-based civilizations.
What caused the Earth’s most recent cooling?
One mystery this hypothesis aims to solve is the cause of the Younger Dryas, which is the brief ice age that the Earth experienced about 12,900 to 11,700 years ago. An ‘impact winter’ could have been the culprit: this is a hypothetical scenario where a cosmic impact causes global cooling, as the impact and the resulting ground fires would eject enough material into the atmosphere to significantly block solar radiation.
This alleged comet left no craters; proponents of the impact hypothesis argue that much of the comet likely fragmented high in the atmosphere and could have struck a large ice cap on the Earth’s surface. But crater aside, the comet appeared to leave other evidence behind. One example is the younger Dryas’ ‘black mats’, which are distinct soil layers (or’ YD boundaries’) that have been discovered at over 100 sites on four continents.
A smoking gun?
It is not known how the rugs got their blackish color. One explanation is that it came from charcoal produced by forest fires. But what is clear is that carpets serve as a dividing line between eras on Earth, mainly because only certain materials and fossils are found above or below this layer. For example, no spearhead or other archaeological evidence of prehistoric Paleo-American culture from Clovis has been found above the black carpets.
Location map showing the 53 YD boundary sites.
“More generally, many extinct megafauna species are found under the black carpet, but not inside or above, including horse, camel, mastodon, giant wolf, American lion,” wrote Researchers.
The black carpets also contain strange geochemical signals whose origins seem to match the impact hypothesis, including:
Elements of the Platinum group: Samples taken from the ice in Greenland and at border sites on several continents contain unusually high levels of platinum group elements (PGEs). The earth’s crust does not contain a lot of PGE, but comets do. Volcanoes can also produce PGEs, but this process would leave chemical traces, which are not found on black carpet sites. Together, this “strongly indicates a [extraterrestrial] source, ”the researchers wrote.
Microspherules: The YD boundary sites also contain high levels of small particles called microspherules which include minerals with signs of “very high temperature melting,” the researchers wrote. A cosmic impact can generate high temperatures, just like humans, volcanoes, and lightning. But given the lack of evidence pointing to an Earth source, combined with analyzes indicating that the particles have mixed with extraterrestrial material, the data suggests that an impact is the most likely source.
“The only reasonable explanation for their occurrence is a major cosmic impact event,” the researchers wrote. “They are found along with other high temperature cast irons with similar compositions at three sites. Those at Abu Hureyra, Syria, can only be explained by a cosmic impact.”
Nanodiamonds: At least 22 black carpet sites contain unusually high amounts of nanodiamonds, which are “extremely” rarely produced by natural earth processes. “The widespread existence of all of these forms of nanodiamonds can only reasonably be explained by a cosmic impact,” the researchers wrote. Previous research has shown that the shock of a cosmic impact can generate nanodiamonds.
There is no better explanation
Opponents of the impact hypothesis might come up with reasonable earthly explanations for some of the evidence. But the proponents have synchronicity on their side: it’s hard to explain how these various anomalous geochemical signals all manifested themselves in a narrow time window, represented stratigraphically by the black carpets of the Younger Dryas.
This synchronicity is even more compelling when you consider that we have undeniable evidence that 13,000 years ago Earth experienced numerous species extinctions and a brief ice age. A 2008 study addressed the extinction component of the hypothesis, noting: “Stratigraphically and chronologically, the extinction appears to have been catastrophic, apparently too sudden and extensive for human predation or climate change to be the cause. main. “
The researchers behind the recent study wrote:
“No YD [boundary] the site was again found to be clearly inconsistent with a synchronous event of around 10,785 [BCE, plus or minus 50 years]. The only reasonable conclusion is that a major cosmic impact event occurred at this time. Its timing is so close to the onset of YD cooling that a causal link is very likely. “
Yet even though a comet caused the younger Dryas, it’s unclear exactly how this could have affected the future of human civilization.
“Such an event could presumably lead to changes in human culture and extinctions of megafauna as proposed, but more detailed research is needed to investigate this,” the researchers wrote.
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30 Jun 2021
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Nikos Athanasopoulos for the synergy of the Onassis Foundation, the Municipality of Athens and Google for Athens Home for All
The importance of acceptance and inclusion for society is underlined by the Onassis Foundation, Technopolis of the Municipality of Athens and Google.
Nikos Athanasopoulos, Stegi’s new projects manager, He spoke for “Athens Home For All”, in Athens 984 and Margarita Mytilineou.
“The partnership between a public body and a private body with the participation of an institution is a message from the start. A message of cooperation with interest.
Because the Onassis and Stegi Foundation have always been at the forefront of the battle for the obvious.
We sat at the same table and exchanged ideas around businesses (pharmacies, restaurants, cafes, bars, taxis, auto repair shops, florists, clothing stores, and hairdressers) who are embracing inclusiveness and wanting this to happen. brand is visible in web searches.
We made it grow, we built it with the mayor of Athens who has an open mind and it has become a reality since September 2020. “
One was created for the presentation of the project video with his voice Married Nafplietou, which aroused the interest of the population. Proof of resonance, the fact that within hours, views exceeded one million.
“On the first day alone, 311 companies submitted their contact details to onassis.org for us to send them the sticker. This is a testament not only to the success of the campaign, but also to the response it received.
It was really moving, because it shows that we love people and that the Greeks are not as conservative as we want to say. All other behavior is a reaction. “ said Mr. Athanasopoulos noting that the action is not birthday and will be continued.
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