The meteorite, which was four times the size of Mount Everest, fell on South Africa 3.26 billion years ago and brought life back to Earth. Traces of it can still be found today in the Barberton greenstone belt.
Until now, the scientific world believed that such huge meteorites would completely destroy all life, but according to research conducted at Harvard University, the huge tsunami waves created after the impact created an ideal environment for bacteria to develop. The S2 meteorite was mixed with marine compounds of iron and phosphorus, allowing early life forms such as bacteria to flourish.
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The researchers collected 214 samples from the meteorite impact site, and based on them, they reconstructed the chain of events, and thus realized that in addition to destruction, it also participated in the formation of life.
Nadia Drabon, head of research, said: “Such effects usually seem catastrophic, but in fact they could enhance the evolution of life.”
The Barberton Greenstone Belt is one of the world's oldest and best-preserved pieces of continental crust, which formed as part of the Valbara supercontinent and then split into two separate continents. The impact of the S2 meteorite was not limited to destroying life, but rather contributed to its regeneration.
The research found that early life forms on Earth found themselves in more suitable conditions, so the meteorite impact was complex and varied – some life forms flourished, while others had a difficult time. Scientists hope that this discovery will shed new light on the origin of life on Earth.
The “Eye of Sauron” appeared in outer space, and researchers were also impressed by this sight
Astronomers compared this phenomenon to the Eye of Sauron.
Distinctive illustration. (Image: Shutterstock)
