Scientists confirm North Sea crater was made by asteroid impact
Scientists have finally settled the debate: the Silverpit Crater under the North Sea was made by an asteroid hitting Earth about 43 to 46 million years ago.
This three-kilometer-wide crater, found in 2002 and sitting 700 meters below the seafloor about 129km off the Yorkshire coast, had puzzled researchers for nearly 20 years.
How they figured it all out
Researchers used high-res 3D seismic imaging (think super-detailed underground scans) to spot classic impact features like a central uplift and shattered rock rings—clues you just don't get from things like salt movement.
They also checked out drill samples for microscopic signs of a high-speed collision.
The asteroid was traveling at over 15km/s
Turns out, a space rock about 160 meters wide slammed in from the west at over 15km per second, launching a massive plume and sparking a tsunami taller than a 10-story building.
Because Silverpit is so well-preserved underwater, it gives scientists rare insight into ancient ocean impacts—a big deal since Earth's known craters are pretty limited.