In Earth’s distant past, meteors frequently crashed into the planet, leaving behind a trail of destruction and transformation. One such meteorite was S2, which crashed into Earth 3.26 billion years ago. It left behind geological evidence that can be found today in the mountainous region of the Barberton Greenstone Belt in South Africa.

Geologist Nadja Drabon and her team conducted a comprehensive study of rock samples collected from the site and analyzed their sedimentology, geochemistry and carbon isotope composition. In this way, scientists were able to recreate a picture of what happened the day a meteorite the size of Mount Everest fell to Earth.

“Imagine standing in shallow water off Cape Cod. This is an environment without strong currents. And suddenly a giant tsunami comes at you, splitting the seafloor in two,” Drabon said in an interview.

The S2 meteorite caused a tsunami that launched objects from land into coastal areas. The heat generated by the impact caused the upper layer of the ocean to boil and the atmosphere to warm up. A thick cloud of dust covered the area, stopping photosynthetic activity. However, bacteria have proven to be resilient enough to recover immediately after impact. Drabon’s team’s analysis showed a rapid recovery of bacterial life and sharp increases in the populations of single-celled organisms that feed on the elements phosphorus and iron.

Iron likely rose from the depths of the shallow ocean due to the aforementioned tsunami, while phosphorus was brought to Earth by the meteorite itself and increased weathering and erosion on land.

Drabon’s analysis shows that iron-metabolizing bacteria proliferated immediately after the impact. This shift towards iron-preferring bacteria, however short-lived, is an important piece of the puzzle that defines early life on Earth.

“We believe that meteor impact-related events harm life. But this study underscores that meteorites can benefit life, especially in the early stages; they may actually allow life to flourish,” Drabon said.

These results were obtained through the work of geologist Drabon and his students, who climbed mountain passes containing sedimentary evidence of early rock splashes that struck the ground and were later preserved in the Earth’s crust. Chemical “fingerprints” hidden in thin layers of rock are helping Drabon and his students piece together evidence of tsunamis and other catastrophic events on the early Earth.

The Barberton Greenstone Belt in South Africa, where Drebon focuses much of his current work, contains evidence of at least eight impact events, including S2. The team plans to study the region further to delve even deeper into Earth and meteorite history.