Update on Historical Timeline for Genesis 2 through 11

In a previous post, Toward An Historical Timeline for Genesis 2 through 11, a speculative timeline based on the controversial Younger Dryas Impact Theory and the speculative Enoch Prophecy interpretation was detailed.

This theory posits that a disintegrating comet struck Earth 12,800 years ago and kicked off a 1,200 year period of ice age conditions, caused the extinction of many large animal species, and wiped out some people groups around the world.  Speculatively, this comet strike might correspond to the prophecy of Enoch recorded in the Book of Jude in the Bible.  Given the controversial and speculative nature of these ideas, we present them here mostly just for interest.  Neither concept can be proven at this point.

That timeline development was inspired by the article, Major Cosmic impact 12,800 years ago which detailed the discovery of a "black mat" layer in Chile, 12,800 years in age, thought to correspond to a major Earth impact event by a disintegrating comet.  This event is associated with:

• disappearance of South American Pleistocene megafauna fossils
• abrupt shift in regional vegetation
• disappearance of human artifacts

evidenced by:

• microscopic spherules thought to be caused by a extremely high temperature melt event
• spherules containing chromium associated with local rocks, indicating a local impact
• charcoal remnants of a large biomass burning event
• rapidity of climate change better attributable to an atmospheric rather than oceanic effect

This evidence added on to similar data from North America and Western Europe.

Today's post is a follow up based on African evidence support Younger Dryas Impact Hypothesis published October 2, 2019.  While the evidence is not strong enough to confirm the Hypothesis, it adds support from finds in Africa.  The evidence in hand is a layer of Platinum-rich dust dated to 12,800 years ago that was thought to be kicked up by the impact.

This theory is still considered controversial, even with mounting evidence.  The scientific process is meticulous and often cautious.  Last year a major impact crater was discover in Greenland, called the Hiawatha Crater.  It is 31 kilometers in diameter and such an impact would be expected to have a world-wide climate altering impact.  However, the Hiawatha Crater is covered in ice and therefore requires a long bore hole or some similar technique to sample its material and date its age.  So far, it cannot be definitely linked to the 12,800 year ago events.  While many investigators would relish that information, it is not easily obtained.

For now, my original post can continue to stand as an interesting speculative timeline with some new incremental evidence in its favor.