Nadir crater, Impact crater near Guinea continental shelf, West Africa.
Nadir crater is an impact structure beneath the Atlantic Ocean floor off Guinea's coast. It spans approximately 8.5 kilometers across and sits about 300 meters below the seafloor, roughly 400 kilometers from the mainland.
The crater formed approximately 66 million years ago when an asteroid roughly 400 meters wide struck the seafloor. Scientists confirmed its existence in 2022 through seismic data and validated its impact origin in 2024 through additional investigation.
Researchers from multiple institutions collaborate to study this geological formation, advancing understanding of Earth's prehistoric impact events.
Access requires specialized deep-sea exploration equipment and research vessels designed for extreme ocean depths. Most visitors learn about the site through scientific research and documentary materials rather than direct observation.
The energy released by that ancient impact would have had profound effects on Earth's systems. Its discovery demonstrates how advanced seafloor mapping can reveal hidden geological structures beneath the ocean.
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