Scientists say a structure in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, known as North Pole Dome, is the oldest known asteroid impact crater on Earth. Researchers report that “detective work” has linked the geological evidence in the WA outback to an asteroid impact that occurred around three billion years ago. The findings position the Pilbara feature ahead of previously known impact craters based on its estimated age and crater history. The research focuses on dating and interpreting the rock record associated with the structure, using evidence consistent with a very old extraterrestrial impact. The conclusion is presented as a confirmation of the site’s status as the world’s oldest asteroid crater, reflecting the results of analyses carried out by Curtin University scientists and reported by local news outlets. The studies do not describe the exact methods in the brief reports, but they state that the crater’s age is measured in billions of years and that the work identifies North Pole Dome as the earliest Earth impact of its kind currently known.