Spotted from orbit by Gemini 4 astronauts in 1965, the Eye of the Sahara spans roughly 40 kilometers across the desert plateau.
Is this colossal bullseye an alien impact crater, or could it be the sunken island of Atlantis described by Plato?

Rigorous geological investigations found zero shocked quartz or extraterrestrial debris, officially debunking the meteorite impact theory. Furthermore, archaeological surveys on this high inland plateau unearthed only prehistoric Stone Age hand axes—not a lost civilization.

The true origin lies deep within our planet: a massive alkaline magma dome that uplifted sedimentary rock 100 million years ago, followed by hydrothermal karst collapse and tens of millions of years of differential erosion. Hard quartzite ridges resisted weathering while softer layers eroded away, sculpting one of Earth's greatest natural monuments.

[Key Investigation Highlights]
• 1965 NASA Gemini 4 orbital observation
• Scientific refutation of meteorite impact and Atlantis myths
• 100-million-year-old Cretaceous magma dome and hydrothermal collapse
• Differential erosion sculpting alternating quartzite cuestas and ring valleys