CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – New evidence suggests that an asteroid could have exploded over Antarctica around 2.5 million years ago. The data comes from a chemical analysis performed on over 100 microscopic rock pieces, which were about the same size as the width of a human hair. Scientists said they found the rocks placed within the ice.
The rocks contained minerals, such as olivine and spinel, which are the same minerals found within an ordinary chondrite — a type of asteroid. The ratio of the different types of oxygen within the rocks also points to them being shattered in an airburst.
Scientists said they believe this explosion happened anywhere from 2.3 million to 2.7 million years ago. They said if true, this means this is the oldest known asteroid explosion on Earth. There are only two other known old asteroid blasts; one from 480,000 years ago and the other, 430,000 years ago.
The last asteroid blast was over a decade ago back in 2013. The asteroid hurtled towards the Earth at almost 70,000 kilometers per hour as it exploded over Chelyabinsk, Russia. Research said the impact from the shockwaves was felt in nearby communities as it harmed 1500 people and damaged 7200 buildings. The asteroid itself had a diameter of 20 meters, which is the equivalent to a tennis court.
Scientists said that these types of events seem to happen every 50 to 500 years and believe there are more examples to be found.