Updated
Updated · The Planetary Society · Jul 16
Geologists Confirm 15-Mile Quebec Crater as 390-Million-Year-Old Meteor Impact
Updated
Updated · The Planetary Society · Jul 16

Geologists Confirm 15-Mile Quebec Crater as 390-Million-Year-Old Meteor Impact

2 articles · Updated · The Planetary Society · Jul 16

Summary

  • A geology team verified that a remote Quebec formation first flagged on Google Maps is a 15-mile-wide meteor crater dating back 390 million years.
  • Joël Lapointe spotted the circular feature while planning a 2024 camping trip, prompting researchers to mount a difficult expedition into the rugged Côte-Nord region.
  • shatter cones found on the second day and "spectacular" impact-melt rock provided the key evidence that the site was formed by an asteroid strike.
  • Only about 200 meteor craters are known worldwide; Canada has 31 confirmed sites, making the Quebec find one of the larger recent additions.

Insights

How did a camping trip search lead to a 390-million-year-old discovery?
What do ancient impact scars reveal about Earth's future vulnerability to asteroid threats?
What did a 15-mile-wide asteroid impact mean for life during the 'Age of Fishes'?