A new study says a large geological structure in Australia’s Pilbara region, known as North Pole Dome, was formed by an asteroid impact more than 3 billion years ago, potentially making it the oldest confirmed impact crater on Earth. Multiple outlets report that researchers have dated the structure to over 3 billion years old, based on evidence presented in the study and dating methods used to assess the age of the formation.
The findings focus on the outback site in Western Australia and frame it as an impact structure rather than a volcanic or other terrestrial origin. While one report emphasizes confirmation of the age, another notes that the proposed interpretation is still debated within the scientific community. New Scientist reports that some researchers dispute aspects of the timing and/or whether the structure was indeed produced by an asteroid strike.
Overall, the outlets agree that North Pole Dome is an ancient structure, that the study supports an impact origin, and that its exact age and classification remain subjects of ongoing scientific discussion.
