The First FarmersCosmos & Earth
Younger Dryas cold snap
c. 10,900 BCEMajorContested
A sudden return to near-glacial cold may have pushed people in the Near East to begin cultivating plants.
Contested history
Consensus: A sudden cold snap about 12,900 years ago, most likely caused by meltwater disrupting Atlantic ocean currents.
Meltwater shutting down ocean circulationEstablished
The leading explanation, supported by ocean sediment records.
Comet or meteor impact (Younger Dryas Impact Hypothesis)Minority view
Proponents cite nanodiamonds and platinum spikes; many geologists say the evidence is inconsistent and unreproduced.
An impact destroyed an advanced lost civilizationUnsupported
Popularized by Graham Hancock; no archaeological evidence of such a civilization exists.
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Documentncdc.noaa.gov
The Younger Dryas (NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information) ↗Editor's pick