Canadian man discovers ancient meteor crater on Google Maps
In an unexpected twist of events, a Canadian man named Joel Lapointe made a remarkable discovery while browsing Google Maps. He was exploring the Côte-Nord region in Quebec, planning a camping trip, when he stumbled upon a curious, unexplained pit on the map. The ‘suspicious’ feature caught his attention due to its unnatural curve and significant size—15 kilometers in diameter.
Unearthing an ancient crater
As Lapointe zoomed in on the location, he also noticed a ring of mountains surrounding Marsal Lake, which was about eight kilometers in diameter. Recognizing the peculiarity of the formation, he shared his discovery with French geophysicist Pierre Rochette, who specializes in studying Earth’s surface features.
Rochette, after reviewing the topography, suggested that the pit could likely be the site of an ancient meteor impact. “Looking at the topography, it’s very suggestive of impact,” he explained while speaking to CBC News.
Signs of a meteor impact
Further investigations were conducted by Rochette and his team, who collected material samples from the site. The presence of zircon—a mineral known to capture the microscopic damage caused by meteoric impacts—strengthened the theory that this massive pit was created by a meteor collision long ago.
Despite this evidence, experts remain cautious. Rochette advised patience, saying additional tests need to be completed before confirming the crater’s origins. If proven, this discovery could be “major,” he added.
Expert reactions
The discovery has sparked interest within the scientific community. Gary Osinski, a professor of Earth Sciences at Western University, weighed in, describing the site as a “strong contender” for being a meteorite crash site. He noted that Google Earth and Maps are often used to spot potential craters, but most are later revealed to be unrelated geological formations. In this case, however, Osinski believes Lapointe’s discovery is highly promising.
The findings have left Lapointe astonished, as he never expected his Google Maps search to lead to the potential discovery of an ancient meteor crater.