Comet Destroyed Life 13,000 Years Ago Say Scientists.

A theory put forth by a group of 25 geo-scientists suggests that a massive comet exploded over Canada, possibly wiping out both beast and man around 12,900 years ago, and pushing the earth into another ice age.

The notion that a comet collided with Earth and caused these events was farfetched until recently, when the group of scientists began looking for evidence of a comet impact, which they call the Younger - Dryas Event.
uscnews.sc.edu...

Dr West and his team say they found a considerable amount of iridium, which was much higher than normal found in the earth's crust. That leads one to the conclusion that there may have been a terrestrial impact from outer space about 13,000 years ago.

This vid gives us an inkling of what might have happened! Could this happen again?

the first thing when watching that video was "wow!", the idea of something that large striking the earth is scary, more than likely something like that is going to hit the earth again, im amazed that other the past several thousand years we have been so lucky not to be hit by a meteor or comet.

You need to rephrase that... destroyed all life in the impact area because obviously all life was not wiped out by it.... Also 13,000 years ago? Hardly. 13,000 years ago were the waning days of the last ice age not the beginning of a new one and humans were in the neolithic period and were laying the foundations of the cultures and civilizations that evolved 5 or 6,000 years later.

Wow, Mike, you sure show some scary video on ATS. I think that's why NASA is planning on putting a giant missile platform in space in the next 20 -30 years. They are concerned with near Earth asteroids like Apophis which will make in between the moon and Earth type passes. These space racks will contain 135 kiloton nuclear missiles. Google those up sometime and get an idea of their destructive firepower. I shudder to think.

Looks like the same impact discussed in this thread...

Diamonds tell story of comet that killed the cave men

Unless 12,900YA was an especially cometologically ( ) active period.

Originally posted by apc
Looks like the same impact discussed in this thread...

Diamonds tell story of comet that killed the cave men

i think your correct...
both West in AZ & Goodyear at SC
are speaking of the same event(s)
a fireball that broke up, & formed a massive spread of destruction across the whole northern hemisphere...26 or 29 sites across europe and canada/north america. (as your thread link states)


Goodyears article bring in the un-related iridium layer,
i think that layer called the TK boundaary is associated with the Yucatan
meteor some 126 MYA?? that spelled the demise of the dinosaurs all over the world....
where's Prof. Byrd ?? she can clear this up forth-with

[edit on 10-8-2007 by St Udio]

Originally posted by St Udio
where's Prof. Byrd ?? she can clear this up forth-with

Hey, I know more about geology that she doe

The K-T extinction event 65 million years ago (when dinosaurs disappeared) coincided with the appearance of an iridium layer in rock strata known to have been laid down around the same time. This was the clue that led to the discovery of a massive meteorite impact crater at Chicxulub in the Yucatan. Iridum is rare on earth. It's presence suggests an extra-terrestrial origin ie a meteorite or comet impact (the force of the impact blasts the iridium into the atmosphere and it later descends to settle amongst normal rock deposits, to be found all over the Earth 65 million years later)

This latest research is suggesting that another iridium layer exists dating to just 12,900 years ago - supporting the idea that another meteorite impact occurred at that time, pushing the Earth back into an ice age (we were just emerging from that last ice age - the subsequent reversion to glacial conditions is known as the Younger Dryas. However, there are problems with the dating of glacial advances at this time we suggest the YD is not quite what it seems - that's for another time though!). The meteorite impact is also used to explain megafaunal extinction - although again serious objections arise, not least the fact that no sudden extinction occurs at that specific time and some species were increasing in numbers whilst others declined into extinction.

The idea has been around for some time, initially promoted by scientists DS Allan and JB Delair who's book I coincidently received through the post this morning ...

www.knowledge.co.uk...

[edit on 10-8-2007 by Essan]

I know this is out in left field a bit ... but humor me please.

Iridium ... is a somewhat heavy element, related to platinum.

We can make it artficial, in fact isotope 192 Beta turns into Platinum.

What if ... the 'ancient' civilization is tied to this. There are plenty of threads about past technology, possible nuclear/advanced weapons that could have wiped out an advanced people (large sand areas turned to glass, other sites of interest). Quickly summarizing ... even today we live mostly coastal, back then with the glaciers, I would say more so. It would be easy to see how most of them would be underwater and wiped from existence ... a nuclear war using this element ... or maybe this element being derived from the fission/fusion process, creating the odd anomalies, creating sick weak people not able to evacuate, and the melting of the North American glaciers that flooded the low cities taking the technology with it. I could further extrapolate the theory ... but it is the first thing I thought of.

I know some compounds of iridium is toxic, I don't know how severe. I always question the accuracy of any dating technique that goes back more than a few hundred or couple thousand years, and the arrogant assumptions that all those past stories are 'made up' and there is no way a past civilization was equal to or greater than us ... because we all know there is no way we could destroy ourselves back to a stone age now, correct? ... and our buildings would never rust and collapse and our roads erode away in 5-10,000 years with no means of maintenance from a lack of people and usable resources. Not a chance right? That is why we never need to repave roads, and once a building is built ... it stands forever! We also have vast buildings on top of glaciers and not too many cities established on coastal areas and islands. I think you can see the point my blatant sarcasm is getting to ... enough speculation (since I am not a paid scientist, it can't be called a theory, right? $$$)



Though the theory of a giant comet hitting vast areas across the continents is probably more plausible with today's information, than a widespread nuclear war by an underestimated ancient culture. I find both equally entertaining.

I would like to see more evidence, but, I guess I just like my imagination to run wild a bit. That is what I feel most of the scientists do when they come up with their theories, they just get paid for it It just seems odd we would only be figuring this out so recently ... with all the hype for so long about craters, asteroids, and studying the layers of the earth we can this last century.

wait if earth was hit by a comet...isnt there suppose to be a giant crater on earth?

There is. Look to northern Quebec.... you can't miss it. Its the round, narrow, donut shaped lake.

My mistake, Labrador; its the Manicougan Meteorite Crater.

51 degrees 17' 20.37 N X 68 degrees 42'00.37 W



[edit on 10-8-2007 by grover]

Funny, i was going to say hudson bay and the fact that canada above it up to the arctic circle is shattered like a hammer hit it

Well I was way off.

According to NASA the Manicougan crater is around 200 million years old. BUT here is a great pic of it from space courtesy of NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day.

apod.nasa.gov...

These are the largest craters on the planet.



Name where size Age Coordinates

Vredefort South Africa 300 km 2.02 billion 27°0′S 27°30′E / -27, 27.5
Sudbury Ontario, Canada 250 km 1.85 billion 46°36′N 81°11′W / 46.6, -81.183
Chicxulub Yucatan, Mexico 170 km 65 million 21°20′N 89°30′W / 21.333, -89.5
Popigai Siberia, Russia 100 km 35.7 million 71°39′N 111°11′E / 71.65, 111.183
Manicouagan Quebec, Canada 100 km 214 million 51°23′N 68°42′W / 51.383, -68.7
Beaverhead Idaho, US 100 km 900 million 44°15′N 114°0′W / 44.25, -114
Acraman South Australia, 90 km 590 million 32°1′S 135°27′E / -32.017, 135.45
Chesapeake Bay US 90 km 35.5 million 37°17′N 76°1′W / 37.283, -76.017
Puchezh-Katunki Russia 80 km 167 million 56°58′N 43°43′E / 56.967, 43.717
Morokweng South Africa 70 km 145 million 26°28′S 23°32′E / -26.467, 23.533
Kara Nenetsia, Russia 65 km 70 million 69°6′N 64°9′E / 69.1, 64.15
Woodleigh Western Australia, 60–120 km 364 million 26°3′S 114°40′E / -26.05, 114.667
Tookoonooka Queensland, 55 km 128 million 27°7′S 142°50′E / -27.117, 142.833
Charlevoix Quebec, Canada 54 km 342 million 47°32′N 70°18′W / 47.533, -70.3
Siljan Dalarna, Sweden 52 km 377 million 61°2′N 14°52′E / 61.033, 14.867
Kara-Kul Tajikistan 52 km 5 million 39°1′N 73°27′E / 39.017, 73.45
Montagnais Nova Scotia, 45 km 50 million 42°53′N 64°13′W / 42.883, -64.217
Araguainha Central Brazil 40 km 244 million 16°47′S 52°59′W / -16.783, -52.983
Mjølnir Barents Sea 40 km 142 million 73°48′N 29°40′E / 73.8, 29.667
Saint Martin Manitoba, Canada 40 km 220 million 51°47′N 98°32′W / 51.783, -98.533
Carswell Saskatchewan, 39 km 115 million 58°27′N 109°30′W / 58.45, -109.5
Clearwater West Quebec, 36 km 290 million 56°13′N 74°30′W / 56.217, -74.5
Manson Iowa, US 35 km 73.8 million 42°35′N 94°33′W / 42.583, -94.55
Yarrabubba Western Australia 30 km 2 billion 27°10′S 118°50′E / -27.167, 118.833
Slate Islands Ontario 30 km 450 million 48°40′N 87°0′W / 48.667, -87
Shoemaker Western Australia, 30 km 1.63 billion 25°52′S 120°53′E / -25.867, 120.883
Keurusselkä Finland 30 km 1.8 billion 62°8′N 24°36′E / 62.133, 24.6
Mistastin Labrador 28 km 36 million 55°53′N 63°18′W / 55.883, -63.3
Clearwater East Quebec 26 km 290 million 56°5′N 74°7′W / 56.083, -74.117
Nördlinger Ries Bavaria 25 km 14.8 million 48°53′N 10°37′E / 48.883, 10.617
Amelia Creek Australia 20 km 1660–600 million 20°55′S 134°50′E / -20.917, 134.833
Glikson Western Australia 19 km 508 million 23°59′S 121°34′E / -23.983, 121.567
Sierra Madera Texas, US 13 km 100 million 30°36′N 102°55′W / 30.6, -102.917
Middlesboro Kentucky, US 6 km 300 million 36°37′N 83°44′W / 36.617, -83.733
Steinheim Germany 3.8 km 15 million 48°41′N 10°4′E / 48.683, 10.067
Lonar Buldhana, India 1.83 km 52,000 19°58′N 76°31′E / 19.967, 76.517
Barringer Arizona, US 1.2 km 49,000 35°2′N 111°1′W / 35.033, -111.017
Odessa Texas, US 0.168 km 50,000 31°45′N 102°29′W

[edit on 10-8-2007 by grover]

Originally posted by FreeThinkerIdealist
I know this is out in left field a bit ... but humor me please.

Iridium ...
What if ... the 'ancient' civilization is tied to this. There are plenty of threads about past technology, possible nuclear/advanced weapons that could have wiped out an advanced people (large sand areas turned to glass, other sites of interest). I could further extrapolate the theory ... but it is the first thing I thought of.

FTI, that's an interesting theory, but it's surprising you haven't been taken to the cleaners already! They're a lot of guys here who are pretty allergic to the thought of advanced ancient civilizations on earth!

But I'm with you here!

Cheers!

Maybe this comet's impact resulted in stories of "The Great Flood" ? If a large object from space smashed into the ice sheet covering a major continent, a colossal amount of water would suddenly be added to the world's oceans, resulting in a very rapid rise in sea level.....

[edit on 11-8-2007 by Mogget]

cool vid.
wouldn't an object that large throw us off orbit some?

i also wonder how the moon would have been affected?

..That is one big Asteroid...if something like that happens again...I want a Hat!

Hmm, really if something that big moved through the solar system...what else would it have an effect on...?

Well, maybe that was the one that helped wipe Atlantis off the Azores Plateau.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Plato in Timaeus:
"There is a story, which even you have preserved, that once upon a time Paethon, the son of Helios, having yoked the steeds in his father's chariot, because he was not able to drive them in the path of his father, burnt up all that was upon the earth, and was himself destroyed by a thunderbolt. Now this has the form of a myth, but really signifies a declination of the bodies moving in the heavens around the earth, and a great conflagration of things upon the earth, which recurs after long intervals; at such times those who live upon the mountains and in dry and lofty places are more liable to destruction than those who dwell by rivers or on the seashore."

He got the mechanism right, but didn't understand that people near the ocean would also be adversely affected by the "declination of bodies moving in the heavens."

[edit on 11-8-2007 by SuicideVirus]

oops, dont tell the christians that, apparently the world is only 7000 years old......

Originally posted by OzWeatherman
oops, dont tell the christians that, apparently the world is only 7000 years old......

They may be right in a way! That's probably the 'new world' they're referring to after the cataclysm! So in other words, something did happen in that time line plus/minus a few thousand years!

Cheers!