Younger Dryas Impact Hypothesis - History of The Hypothesis

History of The Hypothesis

The initial description of this hypothesis was published in 2007. Later that year, an additional study revealed that the impact event may have led to an immediate decline in human populations in North America at that time.

Additional data supporting the synchronous nature of the black mat was published. The authors stated that the data required further analysis, and independent analysis of other Clovis sites for verification of this evidence. The authors stated that they remained skeptical of the bolide impact hypothesis as the cause of the Younger Dryas and the megafaunal extinction. They also concluded that "something major happened at 10,900 BP, approximately 2000 years later than the presumptive impact.

Transmission electron microscopy evidence showing nanodiamonds from the geologic moment of the event was published in the journal Science. Also, in the same issue, D.J. Kennett reported that the nano-diamonds were evidence for bolide impacts from a rare swarm of carbonaceous chondrites or comets at the start of Younger Dryas, resulting from multiple airbursts and surface impacts. This resulted in substantial loss of plant life, megafauna, and other animals. This study has been strongly disputed by other scientists, which included several accusations of misconduct and past criminal activities of one of the authors.

The conclusions could not be repeated, and further research has suggested that the there were no nanodiamonds found, and the supposed spherules were, in fact, either fungus or insect feces.