US EditionOcean sediments might support theory that comet impact triggered Younger Dryas cool-off
BAFFIN BAY NEAR GREENLAND, AUG 6 – Researchers found metallic debris and nanoparticles in Baffin Bay sediments consistent with comet dust, supporting a theory of comet-triggered climate cooling 12,800 years ago.
- Christopher Moore and his research team examined four marine sediment samples collected off the coast of Greenland in Baffin Bay to explore evidence related to the Younger Dryas cooling period.
- This study examined the Younger Dryas Impact Hypothesis, which suggests that around 12,800 years ago, Earth encountered fragments from a breaking comet, triggering rapid climate cooling.
- Researchers detected metallic debris with geochemistry consistent with comet dust, including microspherules and meltglass, indicating a geochemical anomaly at the onset of the cooling period.
- Moore explained that the presence of small spherical particles composed of twisted and altered metals resembling cometary or meteoritic origins, alongside hardened glassy materials and elevated concentrations of nanoparticles containing elements such as platinum and iridium, supports the occurrence of an impact event.
- While the findings support a possible global comet impact linked to the Younger Dryas cooling, the evidence remains indirect and further research is needed to confirm the impact and its climatic effects.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Ocean sediments could be first proof of Younger Dryas comet impact theory
Credit: Paul Fleet / 500Px Plus / Getty Images Plus. A recent analysis of ocean sediments has uncovered geochemical hints that the Northern Hemisphere was hit by a disintegrating comet 12,800 years ago. The research suggests this comet may have triggered a rapid cooling of Earth’s air and oceans. The Younger Dryas Impact Hypothesis is a theory which says during this time period Earth passed through debris from space which destabilised ice sheets…
Ocean sediments might support theory that comet impact triggered Younger Dryas cool-off
Analysis of ocean sediments has surfaced geochemical clues in line with the possibility that an encounter with a disintegrating comet 12,800 years ago in the Northern Hemisphere triggered rapid cooling of Earth's air and ocean. Christopher Moore of the University of South Carolina, U.S., and colleagues present these findings in the journal PLOS One on August 6, 2025.
Younger Dryas Cosmic Impact Evidence Found in Baffin Bay Sediments
A new peer-reviewed study published August 6, 2025, in the journal PLOS ONE presents the strongest marine evidence to date in support of a catastrophic cosmic impact at the onset of the Younger Dryas period, roughly 12,800 years ago. Researchers analyzed four deep-sea cores collected from Baffin Bay, located between Greenland and Canada, and found […] The post Younger Dryas Cosmic Impact Evidence Found in Baffin Bay Sediments appeared first on A…
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