Amaterski astronom Joël Lapointe otkrio je kružnu depresiju na Google Maps u regionu Côte‑Nord koja bi mogla biti meteorski krater nazvan Uhackatik. Struktura je široka oko 15,5 milja (~25 km) i procenjuje se da je stara oko 390 miliona godina. Ekspedicija 2025. našla je shatter cone formacije i rastopljene stene — dokaze impakta — a naučnici nastavljaju analize pre objave konačnih rezultata.
Mogući Drevni Meteorski Krater Otkriven Na Google Maps — Uhackatik Prečnika ~25 km
A Google Maps search may have uncovered an ancient meteorite crater
Jednostavna pretraga staza na Google Maps dovela je do neočekivanog naučnog otkrića: amaterski astronom Joël Lapointe iz Kvebeka zapazio je neobičnu kružnu depresiju u regionu Côte‑Nord, koja bi, prema istraživačima, mogla biti meteorski impaktni krater.
Formacija, nazvana Uhackatik nakon konsultacija sa Ekuanitshit Innu savetom, ima prečnik od oko 15,5 milja (~25 km) i nalazi se približno 62 milje (~100 km) severno od grada Magpie. Nakon što Lapointe nije našao podatke o toj strukturi u postojećim bazama kratera, obratio se istraživačima i time pokrenuo detaljniju istragu.
Kako je potvrđeno
Izveštaj je stigao do Gordona Osinskog, planetarnog geologa sa Western University i čuvara baze podataka Impact Earth, koja omogućava javne prijave potencijalnih impaktnih formacija. Iako je Osinski u početku bio skeptičan — jer često prima lažne prijave — kružna topografija i preliminarna analiza stena naveli su tim da organizuje ekspediciju.
Istraživači su 2025. stigli do udaljene lokacije hidroavionom i tokom zahtevne terenske ekspedicije identifikovali ključne dokaze: shatter cone formacije (konusaste strukture nastale udarnim talasima) i dobro očuvane uzorke impact melt stena (rastopljene stene nastale intenzivnom toplotom i pritiskom pri impaktu). Ovi nalazi se smatraju definitivnim dokazima meteoritnog udara.
„Nije svaki dan da običan građanin pronađe 390 miliona godina stari krater,“ rekao je Joël Lapointe za Radio‑Canada, ističući značaj građanske nauke.
Starost i značaj
Tim procenjuje da je udar dogodio pre oko 390 miliona godina, u periodu kada su Zemlju nastanjivali primitivni vodozemci, daleko pre pojave dinosaurusa, sisara ili ljudi. Naučnici planiraju dodatne mikroskopske analize stena pre objave konačnih nalaza, a otkriće je najavljeno za predstavljanje na 88. godišnjem sastanku Meteoritical Society u avgustu.
Dobro očuvani impaktni krateri su retki zbog erozije i geoloških procesa koji brišu tragove tokom stotina miliona godina. Uhackatik može pomoći istraživačima da bolje razumeju uticaj meteoritnih udara na Zemlju i posluži kao referenca za poređenja sa kraterima na Mesecu, Marsu i drugim stjenovitim telima.
Za kraj: Ovo otkriće pokazuje koliko građanska zapažanja i digitalni alati poput Google Maps mogu doprineti nauci — čak i otkrivanju struktura starijih od tri stotine miliona godina.
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