QuestionsYounger Dryas impact hypothesisWhat produced the platinum spike in the GISP2 ice core near the Younger Dryas onset?Answer
Answer · Younger Dryas impact hypothesis
An iridium-poor, highly differentiated iron meteorite.
An iridium-poor, highly differentiated iron meteorite.
Where it stands
Still possibleIts tests haven't settled it: one piece of evidence for, one against. It needs two reviews to be accepted.
What it predicts
- Meteoritic osmium isotope ratios in the spike interval.
- The spike is short, as from a single fall.
What would rule it out
- Osmium isotopes in the spike interval are terrestrial, or a matching tephra is found.
Evidence 1 for · 1 against
FOR
The spike spans about 14 years.
AGAINSTSuggestive
The questions it answers
Open4 answers, none ahead
Cite it
Mysteries Department. (2026). An iridium-poor, highly differentiated iron meteorite. [Answer ANS0D51XHV87VMD]. https://mysteriesdept.com/r/ANS0D51XHV87VMD
@misc{mysteriesdept_ans0d51xhv87vmd,
title = {An iridium-poor, highly differentiated iron meteorite.},
author = {{Mysteries Department}},
year = {2026},
note = {Answer, catalog key ANS0D51XHV87VMD},
url = {https://mysteriesdept.com/r/ANS0D51XHV87VMD}
}