Meteor impact may have shaped the Grand Canyon's history, study reveals

In a significant new study published in the journal Geology, researchers have proposed a connection between the iconic Grand Canyon and a meteor impact that occurred approximately 56,000 years ago. This study suggests that the Meteor Crater in Arizona, formed by a meteoric strike, may have triggered a series of landslides that impacted the Colorado River's flow, resulting in the creation of a paleolake within the canyon. This paleolake allegedly developed as a result of a landslide landsliding down the canyon, which subsequently blocked the river and led to the formation of lake sediments found in the cave known as Stanton's Cave. Geologists have long been intrigued by the presence of driftwood located 150 feet above the river in Stanton's Cave. Understanding the origins of this driftwood and the sediments has been increasingly important, as it sheds light on the past hydrology and geological events within the Grand Canyon. Key to this research was the age-dating of this driftwood, which researchers established to be approximately 56,000 years old, coinciding with the same geological period as the impact and subsequent landslides. The findings point to a hypothesis that the meteoric impact triggered a chain of geological events that led to the significant reshaping and flooding of the area, including the formation of the paleolake that existed in the canyon. This study underscores the long-term effects of meteor impacts on terrestrial geology and provides insights into the dynamics of large-scale geological features, highlighting how past events can provide crucial information about present and future environmental conditions in the region. These findings not only illuminate the history of the Grand Canyon but also enhance the understanding of how external cosmic events can directly influence geological processes on Earth through the mechanisms of flooding and sediment displacement.