Maybe.

On Mercury, it seems the impact that created the Caloris basin [1] may also have created a seriously busted-up region at its antipode (opposite on the planet from the impact) [2]. This may have happened due to shock waves propagating through Mercury's interior, focused by reflection at the planet's surface onto an area opposite the impact. There are alternate theories.

A few years ago, I looked into whether the Deccan Traps eruptions might have been either triggered or enhanced by similar antipodal seismic wave energy from the Chicxulub impact. Based on Earth's continental positions about 65M years ago, it seemed possible, maybe plausible. There were some papers discussing the possibility, but I don't have the data at hand.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caloris_Planitia [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caloris_Planitia#Antipodal_cha...

> A few years ago, I looked into whether the Deccan Traps eruptions might have been either triggered or enhanced by similar antipodal seismic wave energy from the Chicxulub impact. Based on Earth's continental positions about 65M years ago, it seemed possible, maybe plausible. There were some papers discussing the possibility, but I don't have the data at hand.

Could it be worked backwards, there a re a number of flood basalts, some as recently as 10mya, is there any evidence of impacts for any others? Or is there some reason the Deccan traps stand out compared to the others?

Good idea. There may be enough impact and vulcanism events with reasonably good dating to search for the former as a cause of the latter.

I mean, this is definitely my goto theory. Everything tied up in one single package.

But, unfortunately, just because we like something, doesn't mean it really went down that way. And rightfully so, a horde of nerds will come out of the woodwork, to inform us if we were to claim the validity of an event, without true evidence in hand.

Either way, it won't stop me from harboring a deep suspicion that this is exactly what happened.

Mostly, my own belief is founded in similar conceptual origins for the moon.

Seems like yes?

https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com/expense-ratios/

Possible yes. ctrl+f "Some scientists have attempted to find a middle ground between the two camps." in OP for more info and links.

Maybe volcanic debris somehow interacted with a passing object (like Messenger-1) and changed its trajectory to pass through Earth?

It's very human to want to connect these events into a cohesive narrative, but there is still the possibility that they were independent events in our universe.

Whether that is possible or not, the primary theory for the Deccan Traps is that they were initially formed as India drifted towards Asia and passed over volcanically active area that lies under the present Reunion islands.