35 million years ago, around the same time cats were beginning to evolve in Europe and Asia, a roughly 7km-wide asteroid smashed into northern Siberia, Russia. This impact created a crater that measures 100km across, making it the fourth largest verified impact structure on Earth.
The shock pressure from this particular impact was so extreme that it instantaneously transformed graphite in the ground into diamonds. These ‘impact diamonds’ can be found within a 13.6km radius of the impact point and while they may be unsuitable as gems, it’s thought they may have some industrial uses.
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300km east from the outpost of Khatanga and 880km northeast of the city of Norilsk, the crater is situated in one of the most remote areas on Earth, making it incredibly difficult to study. The area was also historically off limits due to the large deposits of diamonds found there. However, a major investigatory expedition was undertaken in 1997, greatly advancing understanding of the crater and the impact that caused it
Subsequent studies suggest the Popigai impact may have coincided with the Chesapeake and Toms Canyon impacts. If this timing is correct, it could point to a disturbance in the asteroid belt that unleashed a multi-type asteroid shower that sent multiple asteroids crashing into Earth.
Some have also linked this particular impact to an extinction event that took place between the Eocene and Oligocene. This extinction is marked by the glaciation of Antarctica and a large turnover in animal species. It’s unclear exactly what triggered this period of global cooling, but recent dating of the Popigai impact strengthens its association with the start of this period.
