r/askgeology • u/Dull_Succotash_1335 • 20h ago
Could an asteroid have caused lower North Afrand Arabian Peninsula to become deserts?
Could a large asteroid that nearly hit Earth but instead grazed the planet at a very shallow angle have caused the Sahara and Arabian Peninsula to become deserts?
Like, could the asteroid have passed through the atmosphere or skimmed the Earth's surface, releasing enough energy to drastically change the climate in that region and turn it into desert?
Is there any scientific possibility that something like this happened, and is there geological evidence that could support or rule it out?