A massive impact crater in Western Australia could be the oldest known asteroid strike site on Earth, according to new research.
The structure, known as the North Pole Dome or Miralga impact crater, was first identified in 2025 by researchers led by geologist Chris Kirkland from Curtin University.
The crater is estimated to stretch up to 100 kilometres across and contains distinctive shatter cones, rare geological features formed only by powerful impact events such as asteroid collisions.
The original study suggested the impact occurred around 3.47 billion years ago, making it the oldest known impact crater on Earth.
That estimate was based on the ages of surrounding rock layers rather than direct dating of the impact site itself.
A massive impact crater in Western Australia could be the oldest known asteroid strike site on Earth, according to new research. However, the proposed age remains the subject of ongoing scientific debate.
The structure, known as the North Pole Dome or Miralga impact crater, was first identified in 2025 by researchers led by geologist Chris Kirkland from Curtin University. The crater is estimated to stretch up to 100 kilometres across and contains distinctive shatter cones, rare geological features formed only by powerful impact events such as asteroid collisions.
The original study suggested the impact occurred around 3.47 billion years ago, making it the oldest known impact crater on Earth. That estimate was based on the ages of surrounding rock layers rather than direct dating of the impact site itself.
