The relevant site is Wonderkrater, a South African peatland—not Wonderwerk Cave. Research published around 2019–2020 reported a platinum anomaly coincident with the Younger Dryas onset, roughly 13,000 years ago. Richards says Francis later collaborated with the Comet Research Group and recovered the anomaly again, presenting the work as an independent replication and support for the Younger Dryas impact hypothesis. ⛏️🌍
Wonderkrater platinum anomaly presented as an independent replication
Site mentioned
📍 Wonderwerk Crater
Key facts
- The relevant locality is Wonderkrater, a South African peatland. Calling it “Wonderwerk Crater” and describing its research as palaeoanthropological conflates it with the distinct Wonderwerk Cave site.
- A paper titled “The Younger Dryas interval at Wonderkrater (South Africa) in the context of a platinum anomaly” reported a platinum anomaly coincident with the Younger Dryas onset, broadly 13,000 years ago.
- Richards presents the initial finding and later repeat sampling as independent support for the Younger Dryas impact hypothesis. That interpretation is not an established impact event.
Sources
(PDF) The Younger Dryas interval at Wonderkrater (South ...researchgate.net
Wonderkrater, a high-resolution peatland site in South Africa, has previously revealed a platinum anomaly coinciding with the onset of the ...
Widespread platinum anomaly documented at the Younger ...osti.gov
by CR Moore · 2017 · Cited by 78 — We document discovery of a distinct Pt anomaly spread widely across North America and dating to the Younger Dryas (YD) onset.
Platinum may point to impact theory for Younger Dryasearthmagazine.org
“We found this platinum anomaly in virtually every site we tested, right where it should be: at the onset of the Younger Dryas.” “The ...
Discovery of widespread platinum may help solve Clovis ...popular-archaeology.com
“Our data show that this anomaly is present in sediments from U.S. archaeological sites that date to the start of the Younger-Dryas event. It is ...
An Extraterrestrial Pt Anomaly during the Late Glacial ...scienceopen.com
by WC Mahaney · 2024 · Cited by 2 — The Younger Dryas Interval at Wonderkrater (South Africa) in the Context of a Platinum Anomaly. Platinum, Shock-Fractured Quartz, ...
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