The Younger Dryas impact hypothesis is a controversial proposal that the Younger Dryas cold period, a stadial that began roughly 12,900 years ago at the end of the last glacial period, was triggered by the impact or airburst of a meteor, possibly a comet. The hypothesis has been rejected by many scientific studies across geology, astronomy and related disciplines for lacking evidence of any such impact, and critics have described its supporting arguments as self-contradictory and as omitting evidence that contradicts them. The debate surrounding the hypothesis has also been noted as unusual because its principal proponents maintain that mainstream rejection reflects only a vocal minority and amounts to a conspiratorial cover-up, rather than an assessment of the evidence.
Facts
Sources
1. Younger Dryas Impact Hypothesis (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationHistory section, paragraph on the 2007 PNAS paper by Firestone and collaboratorsQuote, History section, paragraph on the 2007 PNAS paper by Firestone and collaborators
The YDIH was formally introduced in 2007 by nuclear physicist Richard Firestone and collaborators in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.
View At A Past Year
The atlas records no dated fact of its own for this entry, so there is no other year to choose.