Scientists have discovered the world's oldest known meteorite impact crater. The crater is located in Western Australia and dates to about 3.5 billion years ago. In that era, these almost earth-shaking events should have occurred frequently. The crater was discovered by geologists from Curtin University and the Geological Survey of Western Australia in the Pilbara region of northwestern Australia.

Australian geologists have discovered evidence of the world's oldest impact crater, dating back 3.5 billion years

Due to its age, it is difficult to directly tell that it is a typical crater shape, but the research team discovered it through other evidence-namely, a "fragmentation cone", a geological feature that only forms when subjected to extreme pressure, such as a meteorite impact or an underground nuclear explosion.

The newly discovered crater is estimated to be at least 100 kilometers (62 miles) wide, suggesting that the object that originally hit Earth was traveling at more than 36,000 kilometers per hour (22,000 mph), causing damage on a global scale. This impact appears to have occurred 3.47 billion years ago.

Professor Tim Johnson, co-first author of the study, said: "The oldest impact craters were 2.2 billion years old before our discovery, so this is the oldest known impact crater found on Earth to date."

The previous record holder, the Yarrabuba impact structure, is located approximately 800 kilometers (500 miles) south of the new champion. Most interestingly, the newest (and oldest) craters date to a very turbulent period in Earth's history.

In the rock section of northwest Australia, you can see landforms called "fragmentation cones", which are only formed under the huge pressure caused by meteorite impacts.

For the first two billion years of Earth's life, it was regularly bombarded by giant space rocks, including an absolutely violent collision with a Mars-sized body about 4.5 billion years ago that created the Moon. The problem is that there aren't many craters left from long ago, as plate tectonics, erosion and other processes have erased the evidence.

Meanwhile, the Moon still has many giant scars from this period, as its surface was far less active.

"We know from observing the moon that large impacts were common in the early solar system," Johnson said. "So far, no truly ancient craters have been found, which means they have been largely ignored by geologists. This study provides a crucial piece of the puzzle of Earth's impact history and suggests that many other ancient craters may be discovered over time."

Researchers say an impact of this magnitude could have had a dramatic impact on Earth, guiding its evolution in ways that are still evident today.

Professor Chris Kirkland, co-first author of the study, said: "The huge energy generated by this impact may have played a role in shaping the early crust, pushing one part of the crust under another part, or forcing magma to rise from deep in the mantle to the surface. It may even have contributed to the formation of craters, which are large, stable land masses that form the basis of continents."

The research was published in the journal Nature Communications.