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The Formation of Giant's Causeway For centuries, the legend of Finn McCool and the Giant's Causeway has been passed down through generations. However, scientists have now revealed that it was intense volcanic activity during a 'major globally impacting volcanic event' that led to the formation of the coastline's 40,000 distinctive interlocking basalt columns about 60 million years ago. Volcanic Activity and Geological Context Geochronologists investigating how the Giant's Causeway was created have discovered it was formed over 5.5 million years, 8 million years less than previously estimated. They also found that the processes that formed the Giant's Causeway were linked to a globally significant volcanic event recorded in rocks as far away as Greenland. The Data Analysis The Giant's Causeway is a Unesco world heritage site and one of the greatest natural wonders of the UK. The formation of the Giant's Causeway is linked to volcanic activity in other locations, including Scotland and Greenland. The volcanic activity occurred around 60 million years ago. The Impact Analysis The discovery has enabled scientists to create a new timeline for volcanic activity across Northern Ireland. Dr. Simon Tapster, a geochronologist at the British Geological Survey (BGS), said: 'Fundamentally, what we've done is by piecing together this tapestry of volcanic rocks all across the North Atlantic, but focusing on Northern Ireland, we have been able to reassess a major globally impacting volcanic event.' The Prediction This research is part of a wider initiative at the BGS to improve the understanding of the UK's geology through better quantifying geological time in the rocks around us. By looking at the timescales and the high-resolution timeline, scientists are able to match it up with various other locations, particularly in the Inner Hebrides in Scotland, the volcanics of Mull, Rum, the Isle of Skye, and taking a bigger view, looking at Greenland and the Faroe Islands.