New evidence supports meteorite impact origin for Lake Isli in High Atlas

Twelve tiny metallic meteorite fragments have been discovered in sediments near Lake Isli, close to Imilchil in the High Atlas. This finding, approximately 600 meters from the lake, reopens a scientific debate spanning over a decade regarding whether the lake's depression was formed by a meteorite impact or a natural collapse of the limestone subsurface. The research was conducted by a team from Ibn Zohr University in Agadir, in collaboration with G. S. Senesi from the Italian Institute of Plasma Science and Technology in Bari. Their findings will be presented at the 88th annual meeting of the Meteoritical Society in Frankfurt from August 9 to 14, 2026. The fragments, measuring between 2 and 5 millimeters and weighing about one gram in total, were recovered from silt and chalk deposits. Electron microscopy and laser analysis revealed high concentrations of iron and nickel, along with cobalt, and traces of gallium, germanium, and iridium, consistent with iron meteorites. Some samples also showed an oxidation layer from rapid cooling and small imprints from atmospheric entry. The hypothesis of a meteoritic origin for Lake Isli was first proposed in 2012 and 2013, but was contested in 2014 and 2015 due to the absence of meteorite fragments around Lake Isli, unlike the nearby Agoudal site. Opposing researchers suggested a karstic collapse, where water dissolved limestone, causing the ground to sink and form a circular depression. The presence of these new fragments weakens a key