Two years ago, a meteorite plummeted through Earth’s atmosphere and crashed into a New Jersey home. Now, analysis of the small fragment reveals it may have come from a rare, primitive asteroid that dates back to the early solar system. In a new study published in Science Advances, a team of scientists traced the origin of the Hillsborough meteorite to a class of primitive rocks that preserve some of the oldest materials in the solar system. The researchers found evidence that the meteorite may have broken off from a parent asteroid rich in ancient salty water, providing clues as to how some of the ingredients for life found their way to planets like Earth. Crash landing On July 16, 2024, a fireball was seen streaking across the skies above New Jersey. The fallen meteorite just happened to crash into the home of an amateur astronomer, who quickly recognized the object and used protective gloves to collect the fragment and place it in aluminum foil and glass containers.
This rapid recovery helped preserve the delicate minerals and organic compounds found on the meteorite that would have otherwise been altered by moisture, weather, and contamination. Upon its recovery, scientists were also able to trace its fiery trajectory through the atmosphere to determine where it came from.
