Antarctic Impact

A Note from the Author

This book is an exploration of alternative scientific ideas. Although I am not formally trained in geology or astrophysics, my lifelong passion for Earth’s history, coupled with extensive research, has led me to propose the Antarctic Impact hypothesis.

The content herein is speculative. I invite readers—scientists and non-scientists alike—to weigh the evidence, engage with the references, and draw their own conclusions. Debate and discovery are at the heart of all progress, and it is my hope that this book inspires curiosity and further investigation into our planet’s dynamic past.

Michael Madden March 6, 2025

Dedication

For all those who continue to question, explore, and push the boundaries of what we know about our planet and our universe.

Introduction

This book is a work of science—albeit of an unconventional kind. I am not a formally trained scientist; my primary gift is music, which has been my livelihood for most of my adult life. Still, my passion for science, especially geology, has never faded.

When I was a senior in high school, my counselors asked what I wanted to study in college. With strong grades and scholarship qualifications, I chose geology and enrolled at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, one of the best schools in the country for that field. At first, I loved it. Over time, though, something didn’t feel right, and I found myself growing bored. In search of a new direction—one I believed would make a difference in the world—I switched my major to elementary education. Ultimately, however, I followed my true gift and became a musician. Yet my fascination with Earth’s history and geological processes never waned.

Among the many inspirations in my ongoing exploration of geology were the maps of Marie Tharp. For those unfamiliar with her work, Marie Tharp was a pioneering cartographer who brought the concept of continental drift into sharper focus. Her painstakingly detailed undersea maps—featured frequently in National Geographic and various atlases—revolutionized our understanding of tectonic plates. These maps have played a key role in shaping my ideas.

Although I do not hold any advanced degrees—no PhD or specialized letters after my name—I don’t believe that invalidates the theories I present here. If you’ll bear with me, I will lay out my case for what I call the “massive nitrogen ice comet hypothesis.” In essence, I propose that:

• A colossal comet composed primarily of nitrogen ice collided with Earth, effectively splitting the continents apart.
• Antarctica is, in fact, the core remnant of this massive comet.
• The dispersed particles from the impact triggered what we know as the Ice Age.

Over the course of this book, I will explain how these pieces fit together, drawing extensively on Marie Tharp’s maps and other geological evidence. My aim is not just to posit an alternative theory but to guide readers step by step through the reasoning and data that support it. By the end, I hope you’ll see how a massive nitrogen ice comet could have driven the global changes often attributed solely to plate tectonics or more gradual processes.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. I look forward to sharing the evidence and reasoning that form the foundation of this hypothesis.

Chapter 1: The Main Event

1.1 What We Really Know About Antarctica

We know it is the highest and driest continent on Earth. We also know it is extremely cold, with an ice sheet that can be up to three miles thick in places—though that ice is not evenly distributed. In fact, it’s thicker on the side facing the Indian Ocean than it is toward South America. Beneath this ice, Antarctica is essentially two separate landmasses.

We also know Antarctica was once at the core of a prehistoric supercontinent called Pangea—a single landmass that later fragmented into the continents we recognize today. This idea of continental drift was first proposed in the early 20th century by Alfred Wegener, a German meteorologist. At the time, his theory was widely ridiculed; the scientific community of the day could not identify a force powerful enough to move such massive plates.

1.2 A Massive Comet Collision

Our hypothesis of an Antarctic Impact suggests that the energy from a colossal comet collision was sufficient to crack Pangea’s crust and propel these continental plates in different directions. Marie Tharp’s undersea maps—particularly those published in National Geographic atlases—offer striking evidence of how the plates shifted. In the 1981 edition of the National Geographic Atlas, for instance, pages 37–38 (Antarctica) show ripple-like arcs radiating across the Pacific Ocean basin. One especially notable feature is the Ninety East Ridge in the Indian Ocean, which, in our view, marks the primary line of force from the comet’s impact.

1.3 The Ninety East Ridge and the Himalayas

We propose that the comet hit Earth at an angle of around 23 degrees, sending a primary shock wave toward the region now known as the Great Bend of the Himalayas. As the force of the impact “plasticized” (softened) the Earth’s crust, the Indian Subcontinent and the Australian Plate separated, while the Eurasian Plate was thrust upward—forming the towering Himalayas.

Moreover, we believe a global “land wave” traveled around the planet. Different landmasses experienced varying degrees of uplift. In South America, for example, this land wave likely formed the Altiplano region, while another wave moved along the Mid-Atlantic and created the rift that now separates South America from Africa. Thus, most major geographical structures—mountains, ocean basins, and rift zones—trace back to this single, pivotal event.

1.4 Reconstructing Past Environments

Although mainstream geology often interprets the Ninety East Ridge as a volcanic feature, we consider it a direct scar aligned with the comet’s trajectory. We also believe Earth may have had little to no axial tilt prior to this event, creating more uniform day/night cycles worldwide.

Geological evidence around the globe hints at a rapid reconfiguration of Earth’s surface. For example, ancient whale bones have been reported at high elevations in the Himalayas during early 20th-century expeditions. Meanwhile, regions like the Sichuan Basin in China contain extensive dinosaur fossil beds—possibly remnants of marine incursions that drained eastward after land in Asia was abruptly uplifted. Rivers such as the Yangtze, Irrawaddy, Salween, and Mekong appear to have carved their courses through newly raised terrain.

According to our timeline, these massive changes occurred relatively recently—around 15,000 years ago—driven by a series of enormous nitrogen ice comets, some spanning 400 kilometers in diameter, that impacted various planets and moons across the solar system. Such bombardments would have triggered an “Ice Age,” wiping out lingering dinosaur populations (if any still survived) and dramatically altering Earth’s climate. In later chapters, we’ll explore evidence of human survivors and cultural myths that may preserve memories of this cataclysm.

1.5 A Disturbing Timeline?

Suggesting that Earth’s major landforms—and the possible end of dinosaur species—date back only 15,000 years directly challenges mainstream timelines, which place the mass dinosaur extinction around 65 million years ago. We’ll address these discrepancies in detail, drawing on impact signatures, fossil records, and cultural echoes of a worldwide catastrophe. Our findings point to a much more recent reshaping of the planet’s surface.

The “main event” at the heart of our theory is this massive comet impact in Antarctica, which plasticized Earth’s crust, molded mountains, carved valleys, and sculpted oceans as we know them. It also flung huge amounts of nitrogen ice across the globe, initiating widespread glaciation and ushering in a dramatic climatic shift—the Ice Age. In its aftermath, sea levels rose, climates changed, and humanity entered a new and transformed world.

Chapter 2: Extending the Comet Hypothesis

2.1 Evidence Across the Solar System

We call the impact event described in the previous chapter the “main event” because it lies at the heart of Earth’s geological history in our hypothesis. Yet, we propose that the same wave of nitrogen ice comets did not target Earth alone; other bodies throughout our solar system also bear the scars of these collisions:

• Mercury: The Caloris Basin may be a remnant of one such massive impact.
• Mars: The Hellas Impact Basin could be another example of a comet strike.
• The Moon: The South Pole–Aitken Basin—one of the largest known impact basins—may also trace back to this period of bombardment.
• Saturn’s Rings: It’s possible that a large nitrogen ice comet, once captured by Saturn’s gravity, contributed to or influenced the formation of the planet’s iconic rings.

Intriguingly, many of these basins and rings are located near the southern polar regions of their respective worlds. This pattern hints at a directional or geometric quality to the comet storm—impacting planets and moons in a broad sweep through the solar system.

2.2 A Hypothetical Impact Scenario

Imagine a loosely compacted, 100-kilometer-wide comet composed primarily of nitrogen ice—much like Iapetus, a moon of Saturn that may be a captured comet in retrograde orbit. Now envision this comet barreling toward Earth at around 42,000 miles per hour. As it nears our planet (around 8,000 miles above the surface), the comet crosses the Roche limit and begins to fragment. These smaller pieces spread across Earth’s atmosphere, depositing enormous quantities of snow and ice—what we recognize as the Ice Age.

Meanwhile, the comet’s still-massive core slams into Pangea at an angle of roughly 23 degrees. The impact delivers enough energy to fracture and separate the supercontinent. The Earth’s crust, momentarily “plasticized” (softened by the colossal energy release), shifts dramatically. As it cools and solidifies, mountain ranges, rift valleys, and ocean basins take shape—giving rise to geographical features such as the Rockies, Andes, Appalachians, the Ring of Fire, and more.

2.3 Aftermath: Melting, Sublimation, and Survival

Because these comets largely consist of nitrogen ice, they sublimate (transition directly from solid to gas) very quickly, releasing additional heat into the atmosphere. For any human populations alive at the time, the consequences would have been dire:

• Rapid Melting: Massive snow and ice deposits began to melt, raising sea levels and triggering widespread flooding.
• Seismic and Volcanic Unrest: Earth’s freshly fractured crust likely experienced intense tectonic and volcanic activity.
• Climate Chaos: The planet’s climate lurched toward a new equilibrium, with extreme weather conditions persisting for generations.

Humanity—“the genetic remnants of the survivors”—would have endured extended periods of darkness, frigid conditions, or both until the skies eventually cleared. Over time, grasslands and forests reemerged, allowing people to leave caves, rebuild, and establish new civilizations. Myths of Atlantis or global floods, we suggest, might stem from deeply embedded cultural memories of these cataclysmic events.

Chapter 3: Other Worlds, Other Impacts

If Earth experienced a “hailstorm” of nitrogen ice comets, we should find similar evidence of recent cometary impacts—or their aftermath—on other planets and moons.

3.1 Mars: The Hellas Impact Basin

Among the largest impact craters in the solar system is the Hellas Impact Basin on Mars. Situated in the planet’s southern hemisphere, Hellas extends nearly 23,000 feet below Mars’s baseline “datum”. The basin’s area is similar in size to what we propose eventually became Antarctica on Earth, suggesting a comet of equal magnitude could have struck Mars. Directly opposite Hellas lies the Tharsis Rise, which we propose was thrust upward by the same impact force that created Hellas.

3.2 Pluto: A Nitrogen Ice Surprise

Traveling far beyond Mars, we encounter Pluto, whose unexpected wonders were revealed by NASA’s New Horizons probe in 2015. Chief among them is Sputnik Planitia, a striking, heart-shaped plain of nitrogen ice. Covering an area comparable to Antarctica, Sputnik Planitia illustrates how vast deposits of nitrogen ice can accumulate on celestial bodies.

3.3 Triton: Neptune’s Mysterious Moon

Next is Triton, Neptune’s largest moon and one of the coldest places in the solar system. Triton’s entire southern hemisphere is coated in nitrogen ice, with nitrogen geysers occasionally erupting onto the surface. We propose that its nitrogen-ice surface may be residue from the same wave of cometary impacts that pummeled Earth.

Chapter 4: The Dinosaurs and the Oil

4.1 Introduction

Conventional science teaches that dinosaurs roamed the Earth millions of years ago, until a catastrophic asteroid impact some 65 million years in the past brought about their extinction. However, certain geological and fossil discoveries suggest an alternative scenario. This chapter explores the possibility that dinosaurs may have persisted into more recent times and that the creation of oil and natural gas could be intimately tied to catastrophic events.

4.2 Shocking Discoveries in Peru

One of the most striking fossil sites lies in Peru, sometimes called the “Land of the Lost.” According to local sources, construction teams from the Antamina Mining Company unearthed a remarkable cache of fossils in 2009 while building a paved road between Yanacancha and the Cola Culta crossroads. Among the finds were over 100 intact specimens, large marine reptiles (Sauropterygians), extinct crocodiles, and dinosaur footprints.

4.8 The Role of the “Land Wave”

From South America to Australia and across Asia, we find marine or semi-aquatic fossils now high and dry, rapid burial scenarios, and exceptionally well-preserved fossils. Our theory ties these observations to a massive “land wave” triggered by the Antarctic Impact, leading to plasticized crust, flash burial, and accelerated fossilization.

Chapter 5: The Antarctic Impact and the Human Memory

5.1 Pinpointing 12,500 BC

A date that emerges repeatedly in mythological and archaeological contexts is 12,500 BC (often rounded to 10,000 BC). While mainstream dating grows more uncertain the farther back we go, numerous cultural remains suggest human activity in this timeframe.

5.4 The Younger Dryas

From 12,900 to 11,700 BC, the Younger Dryas period saw global temperature drops. Some researchers speculate that an impact triggered this mini ice age. Myths and legends around the world—Norse tales of Ragnarök, Mesoamerican flood sagas, and others—may embody cultural memories of such a catastrophe.

Chapter 6: The Origins of the Comet Swarm

6.2 The 18–23° Inclination Mystery

We repeatedly encounter angles of around 18–23°: Pluto’s orbital inclination (~17–18°), Mars’s axial tilt (~25°), and extreme trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) with orbits inclined around 18°. This may not be mere coincidence but rather a clue pointing to a massive, distant planet exerting a “pull” on comets and minor planets.

6.3 The Planet Nine Hypothesis

Astronomers have long speculated about an undiscovered planet—sometimes called Planet X—with a mass on the order of 10 to 20 Earth masses. We propose Planet Nine nears the inner solar system from a ~18–23° inclination, dragging cometary material with it.

Chapter 7: The Resurrection

In previous chapters, we explored how the Antarctic Impact reshaped Earth’s geography. Now we ask: How did humanity make it through this event, and what might our world have looked like before the impact?

If our species survived, then we existed beforehand. Our theory suggests that Pangea’s sudden fragmentation—rather than a slow breakup—raises questions about human societies pre-cataclysm. Many mythologies reference hidden worlds beneath Earth’s surface. Could some groups have recognized the impending disaster and retreated underground?

Earth’s post-impact recovery is symbolized in springtime festivals, eggs, rabbits, and other icons of rebirth. These may reflect deeper human memories of a planet-wide catastrophe followed by renewal. Catastrophic impacts are not mere fiction. Humanity’s resilience, both ancient and modern, is a reminder that we must remain vigilant and cooperative in the face of potential future cosmic threats.

Appendices

Appendix A: The Maps of Marie Tharp

One of the cornerstones of our Antarctic Impact Theory rests on the undersea cartography produced by Marie Tharp—especially as presented in the 1981 National Geographic Atlas. By closely examining Tharp’s meticulous maps of the global ocean floors, we can discern the shock-wave patterns and rift zones that, according to our hypothesis, radiate from a single, massive comet impact near Antarctica.

Appendix C: Bibliography

• Churchward, James. The Lost Continent of Mu. New York: I. Washburn, Inc., 1926.
• Donnelly, Ignatius. Atlantis: The Antediluvian World. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1882.
• Heezen, Bruce C., Marie Tharp, and Maurice Ewing. “The Floors of the Oceans: I. The North Atlantic.” Geological Society of America Special Paper 65 (1959): 1–122.
• Stern, Alan B., et al. “The New Horizons Pluto Kuiper Belt Mission: An Overview with Historical Context.” Space Science Reviews 140, nos. 1–4 (2008): 3–21.