It came from outer space: Scientists solve decades-long mystery of the Silverpit Crater

After two decades of debate, researchers say they finally have definitive proof that the Silverpit Crater, a buried structure in the North Sea, was created by an asteroid strike more than 40 million years ago.

The crater, discovered in 2002 about 80 miles (129 kilometers) off the Yorkshire coast, is 1.8 miles (3 km) wide and lies some 766 yards (700 meters) below the seafloor. Its circular shape and central peak look like hallmarks of a cosmic impact — but in the absence of definitive evidence, alternative explanations emerged. For instance, there were theories that shifting underground salt deposits or ancient volcanic activity could be responsible for the structure.

Now, a team led by Uisdean Nicholson of Heriot-Watt University in Scotland has solved the mystery at last. Using modern 3