Scientific Debate Settled as Seismic Imaging Confirms Massive Asteroid Impact Beneath the North Sea

New research confirms the Silverpit Crater was formed by a 160-meter asteroid, triggering a 330-foot tsunami and resolving a 20-year scientific debate.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 11, 2026, 10:54 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Heriot-Watt University

Source received: Heriot-Watt University - A massive asteroid hit the North Sea and triggered a 330-foot tsunami. Ready to edit.

HEADLINE

Scientific Debate Settled as Seismic Imaging Confirms Massive Asteroid Impact Beneath the North Sea

SUMMARY

Researchers from Heriot-Watt University have confirmed that the Silverpit Crater was formed by a 160-meter asteroid impact approximately 45 million years ago. The strike, validated by the discovery of shocked minerals, unleashed a catastrophic 100-meter tsunami and created a rare, well-preserved undersea geological structure.

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