Context:
Recently, Australian researchers have uncovered evidence of a massive impact crater which is named as MAPCIS, which could revolutionise our understanding of Earth’s geological history.
Relevance:
GS III: Science and technology
MAPCIS Crater Overview:
- MAPCIS is a nonconcentric complex crater that may offer crucial insights into Earth’s geological and biological history.
- It spans an impressive 600 kilometers across central Australia.
- Referred to as the Massive Australian Precambrian-Cambrian Impact Structure (MAPCIS).
- The event that caused the crater is believed to have occurred towards the end of the Ediacaran period.
- It contains pseudotachylite breccia (melt rock) deposits, lonsdaleite (shocked diamonds), and notable concentrations of iridium—all indicative of a high-impact event.
Key Facts About the Ediacaran Period:
- Geological Timeline: The Ediacaran period spans from 635 to 541 million years ago, marking the end of the Proterozoic Eon.
- Significance: This period saw the earliest known development of multicellular life.
- Biological Transition: It represents a time of major geological and biological transformation, transitioning from a world dominated by microscopic life to one teeming with Cambrian animals.
-Source: India Today
