A cosmic mystery in the heart of the Algerian desert...a mysterious crater that has baffled scientists

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The Orakziz crater in the Tindouf Desert, southwest of Algeria, has reopened the door to scientific questions about the history of meteorite collisions with Earth, after a new estimate of its age was put forward that differs significantly from previous estimates, in a development that has re-shed light on geological treasures still hidden by the Algerian desert.

The Algerian Sahara is no longer just a vast expanse of sand and rocky mountains; It also contains geological features that bear evidence of ancient cosmic events, including craters believed to have been formed as a result of space objects colliding with the Earth's surface.

The Orakziz crater is at the top of this file, as it is located in the Tindouf region and has an extension of about 3.5 kilometers, making it a remarkable landmark that deserves further study and documentation.

Interest in the crater returned after statements by Algerian researcher Ratiba Sahwi during a scientific forum held in Oran this October, when she indicated that studying the remaining materials at the site leads to an estimate of its age at about ten thousand years, contrary to previous estimates that linked it to a period of up to 70 million years.

This significant difference raises an important scientific question: Do new studies reveal a different history for the crater, or does more analysis and independent verification be required before the most recent estimate can be accepted?

Until now, the estimate of ten thousand years should be treated as information attributed to the researcher, not a final, settled result, until the original scientific study and the dating methodology used in it are examined.

Orkziz is not unique in this interest; Algeria includes four known meteorite impact sites and craters, namely Orakziz, Talmazan, Tin Baidar and Amghid, according to information presented during the forum.

These sites differ in their characteristics and estimated ages, which gives researchers an opportunity to study the effects of cosmic collisions and the evolution of the Earth's crust over different time periods.

The importance of these craters does not stop at their scientific value, but rather extends to the possibility of developing specialized geotourism, provided that the necessary protection of the sites is provided, documented field studies are conducted, and they are placed within programs to value natural heritage.

The researcher points out the possibility of placing Orczez among the exceptional geological sites that deserve protection, in a step that may give this desert landmark a greater presence on the map of scientific research.

Between the hypotheses of a cosmic collision and the difference in time estimates, the most important question remains: What could the rocks of the Algerian desert reveal if they were subjected to more precise studies?