Wednesday, 21 October 2026 Updated 25 min ago
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A massive asteroid slammed into the North Sea and unleashed a 330-foot tsunami

A decades-long mystery beneath the North Sea has finally been solved.

ScienceDaily reports that a decades-long mystery beneath the North Sea has finally been solved.

Scientists have confirmed that the Silverpit Crater, buried 700 meters below the seabed, was created when a 160-meter-wide asteroid struck Earth roughly 43 to 46 million years ago. The violent collision blasted a towering curtain of rock and water 1.5 kilometers into the air and triggered a tsunami more than 100 meters high.

This science story centres on the United States. Names and organisations mentioned in the coverage include North Sea, Silverpit Crater and Earth.

Why it matters

Research developments are often early steps — further studies typically determine how significant they prove to be.

Key details

Location
United States · Americas
Reported by
ScienceDaily
First reported
Key names
North Sea, Silverpit Crater, Earth
Section
Science

Sources

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Read the full story at ScienceDaily

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