James Kennett, an emeritus geologist at the University of California, Santa Barbara, stated that carbon spherules occur throughout the geological record but reach a peak at the Younger Dryas boundary.
Notes on verification
The claim accurately reflects statements made by James Kennett as reported by National Geographic and supported by his co-authored peer-reviewed papers. However, the underlying scientific claim (carbon spherule peak at YDB) is contested by other researchers, so this represents Kennett's position within an ongoing scientific debate rather than settled consensus.
Sources
- Fungi, Feces Show Comet Didn't Kill Ice Age Mammals? (nationalgeographic.com)
- https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1301760110 (pnas.org)
- https://news.ucsb.edu/2013/013537/comprehensive-analysis-impact-spherules-supports-theory-cosmic-impact-12800-years-ago (news.ucsb.edu)
- https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/07/150727180224.htm (sciencedaily.com)
- https://news.ucsb.edu/2018/018701/big-burn (news.ucsb.edu)