New research led by James Kennett, emeritus professor of Earth Science, suggests that high-energy cosmic impacts that explode above ground may be a more frequent and widespread destructive force than the crater-forming strikes traditionally studied.
In a series of four recently published papers, Kennett and his collaborators present compelling evidence for these “touchdown airbursts” from various locations across the globe.
The studies identify telltale impact proxies—including unusual molten glass, rare minerals with extraterrestrial origins, and shocked quartz bearing the marks of intense pressure—within sediment layers dating from recent to thousands of years old, found in locations ranging from the North Atlantic seafloor to the site of the well-known Tunguska event in Siberia. This growing body of evidence supports the controversial hypothesis of a significant airburst approximately 12,800 years ago that may have triggered a period of global cooling and hints at similar, less-understood events potentially causing the collapse of ancient civilizations, leaving subtle geological traces where major craters are absent.
These findings underscore the need for greater attention to these often overlooked cosmic events. Read the full story on The Current.