A study conducted by scientists from the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) reveals that impact craters, such as the Hapcheon crater in South Korea, may have served as 'oxygen oases' for early life on Earth. The researchers discovered fossilized stromatolites, which are indicative of oxygen-producing microbial communities, in this 42,000-year-old crater. The findings suggest that these stromatolites thrived in hydrothermal lakes formed by asteroid impacts, contributing to the Great Oxygenation Event. The research, published in *Nature Communications Earth and Environment*, highlights the significance of hydrothermal activity in creating habitable environments on early Earth. The study also proposes that similar conditions could exist on Mars, where hydrothermal systems may have supported early life. The presence of meteoritic material in the sediments of these stromatolites further supports the idea that impact craters played a crucial role in the evolution of life. This study opens new avenues for understanding the relationship between asteroid impacts and the development of early ecosystems.