Uncovering the Extraordinary: The Sudbury Impact

🌍The Sudbury Impact, 1.8 billion years ago, involved a meteorite the size of a small city, causing wide-scale changes in the Earth's geology and possibly altering the composition of the oceans.

🔎Geologists initially dismissed the idea of an impact at Sudbury, but Bob Dietz's groundbreaking work in the 1960s, including the identification of shatter cones and shocked quartz, eventually proved its existence.

💡The Sudbury Impact created a boulder in Marquette, Michigan, sourced from Sudbury, Ontario, over 300 miles away, and deposited a 130-foot-thick rock layer hundreds of miles from the impact site.

🌍The impact may have led to a mass extinction event or significant changes in the marine ecosystem, but further research is still needed to understand the full extent of its effects.

🌟The discovery of the Sudbury Impact was made possible by the inquisitiveness and perseverance of retired high school teachers Greg Brumpton and Bill Addison, highlighting the importance of curiosity in scientific breakthroughs.

What caused the Sudbury Impact?

—The Sudbury Impact was caused by a massive meteorite, estimated to be 10-15 kilometers in diameter, colliding with Earth approximately 1.8 billion years ago.

How did geologists initially react to the idea of an impact at Sudbury?

—Early geologists were skeptical of the impact theory proposed by Bob Dietz until further evidence, including shatter cones and shocked quartz, confirmed the presence of an impact.

What evidence supports the existence of the Sudbury Impact?

—Evidence includes the presence of shatter cones, shocked quartz, and a 130-foot-thick rock layer containing debris from the impact site found in Marquette, Michigan.

Did the Sudbury Impact have any long-term effects on the Earth?

—The impact may have caused significant changes in the oceans, potentially leading to a mass extinction event or alterations in the marine ecosystem. However, further research is ongoing.

Who discovered the Sudbury Impact?

—The discovery of the Sudbury Impact was made by retired high school teachers Greg Brumpton and Bill Addison, who identified the impact-related rocks in Thunder Bay, Canada, which led to further research and confirmed the impact's existence.

00:00Introduction to the Sudbury Impact and the excitement surrounding it.

09:25Arrival at the boulder in Marquette and initial curiosity.

15:51Conversation with Dr. Bill Cannon, an expert on Sudbury geology.

16:06The importance of remaining open to new ideas and questioning traditional interpretations.

17:49The dedication and contributions of Greg Brumpton and Bill Addison in the discovery of the Sudbury Impact.