# City-Sized Asteroids Bombarded Early Earth: A New Perspective
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Chapter 1: Understanding Early Earth Bombardments
Recent research indicates that massive asteroids, comparable in size to cities, may have bombarded Earth during its formative years. This study suggests that such impacts occurred far more frequently than earlier models suggested.
The early solar system was a tumultuous environment, with ancient Earth undergoing relentless asteroid strikes for millions of years. This new research indicates that the intensity of these bombardments was up to ten times greater than previously estimated.
An asteroid impact that occurred 66 million years ago is famously known for causing the extinction of the dinosaurs. The findings suggest that between 3.5 and 2.5 billion years ago, impacts of this magnitude, or larger, struck Earth approximately every 15 million years.
Section 1.1: The Impact of Asteroids
The research highlights the significant effects of these strikes, including the creation of vast glass bead deposits in the geological record.
The Barringer Crater, commonly known as Meteor Crater, located near Winslow, Arizona, serves as a testament to the power of these impacts.
Over time, erosion has worn away many older impact craters, leading to their gradual disappearance. However, these cosmic collisions also generate molten glass pellets that can rain back down on Earth, with larger impacts capable of creating widespread debris fields.
This video explores the Top 10 BIGGEST Asteroid Impacts in History, highlighting the immense scale and consequences of these cosmic events.
Section 1.2: The Scientific Insight
Dr. Simone Marchi from the Southwest Research Institute explains, "We have developed a new impact flux model and compared it with a statistical analysis of ancient spherule layer data. Our findings suggest that existing models underestimate the frequency of significant impacts. The actual impact rate could have been as much as ten times higher during the period of 3.5 to 2.5 billion years ago. This implies that Chicxulub-sized impacts may have occurred roughly every 15 million years."
Researchers are investigating how these city-sized asteroid collisions influenced the developing Earth, particularly regarding the complex chemical reactions that occurred on the surface. Such impacts may have played a pivotal role in shaping the planet during the era when life was just beginning to emerge.
Chapter 2: The Implications of Asteroid Impacts
The second video, What Would Happen if an Asteroid Hit a City? delves into the potential consequences of asteroid impacts on modern urban environments, illustrating the catastrophic outcomes that could arise from such events.
James Maynard, founder and publisher of The Cosmic Companion, shares insights from his base in Tucson, Arizona, where he resides with his wife, Nicole, and their cat, Max.
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