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56,000-Year-Old Asteroid Created Grand Canyon's Temporary Lake

7/25/2025

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Summary

Story summary

A groundbreaking study uncovers that a colossal 56,000-year-old asteroid impact in Arizona may have birthed a temporary lake within the Grand Canyon. The 300,000-ton asteroid's collision with the Colorado Plateau triggered a landslide, damming the Colorado River. Driftwood and sediment findings provide compelling evidence of this dramatic geological transformation.

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Story summary

A groundbreaking study uncovers that a colossal 56,000-year-old asteroid impact in Arizona may have birthed a temporary lake within the Grand Canyon. The 300,000-ton asteroid's collision with the Colorado Plateau triggered a landslide, damming the Colorado River. Driftwood and sediment findings provide compelling evidence of this dramatic geological transformation.