A meteorite impact 200 times larger than the one that wiped out the dinosaurs caused the oceans to boil millions of years ago.

A giant meteorite, much larger than the one that destroyed the dinosaurs, fell to Earth billions of years ago, changing the course of life on the planet. Discover how this impact created huge craters, caused tsunamis and changed the Earth’s climate, and helped primitive life flourish.

The Impact That Changed the Planet

Measuring approximately 40 to 60 kilometers across, the S2 meteorite was 50 to 200 times larger than the rock that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. When it collided with Earth, the planet was very different: a water world with few continents and simple microorganisms.

A team of scientists led by Professor Nadia Drabon from Harvard University found that the impact created a crater 500 kilometers in diameter and ejected an incredible amount of molten rock. This cloud of particles spread throughout the world, producing a devastating effect.

Tsunamis and boiling oceans

The meteorite caused a tsunami of colossal proportions, much larger than any tsunami recorded in human history. The heat released was so intense that it boiled the oceans and caused meters of water to evaporate. The air temperature reached 100°C, and the sky was covered with dust and particles, blocking the passage of sunlight.

This hostile environment proved lethal to primitive life that depended on photosynthesis, but surprisingly, it also created new opportunities for simple organisms to flourish.

Giant fertilizer for life

Despite the widespread destruction, the study shows that meteorite impacts like S2 ​​helped life flourish on Earth. The accident churned the ocean and released important nutrients such as phosphorus and iron, fertilizing the planet and providing the first microbes with the energy they needed to develop.

The discovery suggests that a violent sequence of impacts in Earth’s early years brought not only destruction, but also favorable conditions for primitive life. As Drabon explains, “life not only survived but thrived after the impact.”

Research findings

This is a new discovery published in the journal PNASchallenges the common belief that large impacts only bring destruction. Scientists now believe these events may have played a critical role in the evolution of life on Earth, providing the nutrients and conditions necessary for early organisms to thrive.