A new 11-kilometer scar has been discovered on Earth's surface, formed by an unknown phenomenon. Check out the photos!

The history of our planet has been written for over 4.5 billion years, during which time Earth has experienced numerous events, the traces of which remain on its surface. Some of these scars of the Earth are well-known, while others are still being discovered by scientists, often with surprising findings, as reported by Live Science.

A new discovery on the Earth's surface was made by a spelunker while he was exploring Google Earth. The researcher noticed a gigantic scar on a barren landscape, which later turned out to have likely been left by a fierce tornado that no one had previously known about.

Earlier this year, the spelunker was examining satellite images of the Nullarbor Plain when he stumbled upon something unexpected: a massive, mysterious scar etched into the barren landscape. This finding intrigued scientists, prompting them to conduct thorough investigations. Analysis revealed that the scar on the planet's surface was caused by a violent tornado, but what was even more astonishing was that no one had been aware of it.

Tornadoes are a well-known threat in the U.S. and other countries; in Australia, they are less common but can still occur. Researchers note that without modern technology, this example of ferocity might have gone unnoticed. However, scientists believe it is essential to study the tornado that slipped under the radar to prepare for the next major twister.

It is important to note that tornadoes are powerful, rotating columns of air that descend from thunderstorms to the ground, bringing wind speeds often exceeding 200 mph. They can cause massive destruction—uprooting trees, demolishing buildings, and scattering debris over large distances.

Research shows that tornadoes have been recorded on every continent except Antarctica, but they are most commonly observed in the Great Plains of the United States and the northeastern region of India—Bangladesh. The first documented tornado in Australia occurred in 1795 in a suburb of Sydney. However, Western scientists did not confirm the existence of tornadoes here until the late 1800s.

Since then, scientists have continued monitoring, and in recent decades, tornado occurrences have been recorded in Australia, including a tornado in 2013 that crossed northeastern Victoria and reached the border of New South Wales—its winds were known to have reached between 250 and 300 km/h. In 2016, a severe storm caused at least seven tornadoes in central and eastern South Australia.

It is crucial for scientists to have the ability to predict tornadoes to warn local communities. This is why the enormous scar from a tornado that had previously gone unnoticed fascinated researchers.

The scar was discovered on the Nullarbor Plain—a remarkable, dry, and treeless area in southern Australia. The scientist who found the scar was actually examining Google Earth images to search for caves and other karst formations in the region. However, he came across something entirely different, which captured the attention of the entire community.

The scar stretches from Western Australia across the border to South Australia: it is located 20 km north of the Trans-Australian Railway and 90 km northeast of the former railway settlement of Forrest.

During the investigation, scientists compared satellite images of the area over the past few years and discovered that the tornado occurred between November 16 and 18, 2022. Blue circular patterns appeared along the scar, indicating puddles of water associated with heavy rainfall. Following this, the researchers visited the scar to examine it in person.

The team found that it measures 11 km in length and between 160 and 250 m in width. The scar features bright patterns known as "cycloidal marks," formed by the suction vortices of the tornado. This suggests that the tornado was not an ordinary storm, but rather fell within the F2 or F3 categories, meaning it spun with destructive winds exceeding 200 km/h. It is estimated that the tornado lasted between 7 and 13 minutes, and the characteristics of the scar indicate that the swirling winds inside the tornado moved in a clockwise direction. Scientists also believe that the tornado traveled from west to east.

Local meteorological observations also recorded intense cloud cover and precipitation during this period in November 2022. Unlike tornadoes that struck populated areas, this one did not damage homes or cities. However, it did leave its mark by eroding soil and vegetation and altering the Earth's surface. Interestingly, the scar on the Earth's surface was still clearly visible even after 18 months.