Scientists finally unravelled the mystery of the huge Silverpit Crater off Yorkshire North Sea coast in a new research study.
According to researchers, the 160-metre-wide asteroid hit the North Sea more than 43 million years ago that not only caused a massive 100m tsunami and left a 1.9 mile wide crater under the seabed, which was discovered in 2002.
As per experts, early mammals and plants suffered extreme consequences of the asteroid hit, leading to 75 percent mass extinction of animal and plant species.
The Silverpit Crater is located around 80 miles (128 km) off the East Yorkshire coast
The study was based on using seismic imaging and assessing rock samples to find out the real cause of crater.
According to Dr Uisdean Nicholson, associate professor at Edinburgh’s Heriot-Watt University, the cutting-edge technology would prove useful in solving the crater point of origin.
In the study, funded by the Natural Environment Research Council, the team had found rare “shocked” quartz samples which paved the way in settling this decades-long scientific debate.
"These prove the impact crater hypothesis beyond doubt, because they have a fabric that can only be created by extreme shock pressures,” Dr Nicholson said.
While discussing the rarity of such craters hidden in the seabed, "Around 200 confirmed impact craters exist on land and only about 33 have been identified beneath the ocean."
These findings can be helpful in understanding the impacts of asteroids on Earth and their role in reshaping Earth history, according to Dr Nicholson.