The Younger Dryas impact hypothesis: Review of the impact evidence

Firestone et al., 2007, PNAS 104(41): 16,016–16,021, proposed that a major cosmic impact, circa 10,835 cal. BCE, triggered the Younger Dryas (YD) climate shift along with changes in human cultures and megafaunal extinctions. Fourteen years after this initial work overwhelming consensus of research undertaken by many independent groups, reviewed here, suggests their claims impact at time should be accepted. Evidence is mainly form geochemical signals what known as YD boundary found across least four continents, especially North America Greenland, such excess platinum, quench-melted materials, nanodiamonds. Their other are not yet confirmed, but scale event, including extensive wildfires, its very close timing onset dramatic cooling suggest they plausible researched further. Notably, arguments small cohort researchers against are, general, poorly constructed, under scrutiny most evidence can actually interpreted supporting hypothesis.