Amateur astronomer discovers previously unknown 390-million-year-old meteor crater in Quebec via Google Maps
Amateur astronomer Joël Lapointe discovered a previously unidentified meteor crater in Quebec's Côte-Nord region in 2024. Lapointe stumbled upon the feature while exploring the area using Google Maps. The crater has now been identified as being approximately 390 million years old. This discovery marks the first time this ancient geological formation has been recognized.
This discovery highlights the potential for citizen science and readily available digital mapping tools to contribute to scientific understanding. The identification of a previously unknown geological feature of this age suggests that significant discoveries may still be made through unconventional methods. Future research could focus on the geological and ecological implications of such ancient impact sites and the potential for similar discoveries in other regions using advanced satellite imagery and AI-powered pattern recognition.
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