New Asteroid Crater Just Discovered Under The Sea: The Silverpit Crater

Beneath the calm waters of the North Sea lies a dramatic secret from Earth’s past. The Silverpit Crater, recently confirmed as an asteroid impact site, was formed more than 43 million years ago when a space rock slammed into the seabed. Long debated as either an impact crater or a collapsed salt dome, new evidence of shock-deformed minerals and advanced seismic imaging has finally revealed its extraterrestrial origin. This discovery not only rewrites part of Europe’s geological history but also highlights the very real influence asteroid impacts have had on shaping our planet.

The Massive Asteroid Impact in Central Australia

Deep in the heart of the Northern Territory lies Gosses Bluff, known to the Western Arrernte people as Tnorala. This striking ring-shaped mountain range, 22 km across, is the eroded remnant of a massive asteroid impact that occurred around 142 million years ago during the early Cretaceous.

Originally, the impact crater may have been up to 24 km wide and several kilometres deep. Over millions of years, erosion has stripped away much of the original structure, leaving a dramatic central uplift—a feature common in large impact craters. The bluff’s distinctive circular form is visible even from space.

For the Western Arrernte people, Tnorala holds deep cultural significance, woven into Dreamtime stories that speak of a fallen star. Scientifically, it offers an invaluable window into Earth’s violent past and the role of cosmic impacts in shaping our planet’s surface.