In Antarctica, scientists have discovered a meteorite containing some of the solar system’s earliest material, a space rock for the ages, according to their findings.
Maria Valdes, a researcher at the Chicago Field Museum, told the Chicago Tribune that everyone was ecstatic when they observed this individual sitting alone on the blue ice.
17-Pound Meteorite Found In Antarctica
A 17-pound meteorite, roughly the size of a gourd, was discovered by an international team on January 5 at the conclusion of an 11-day mission. It is one of the largest meteorites ever discovered on the continent and most likely originated from the Main Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter.
In order to put the size of the meteorite into perspective, just 100 of the 45,000 meteorites recovered from Antarctica over the past century are this size or greater, according to the Field Museum in Chicago, which participated in the mission.
According to The Tribune, researchers on snowmobiles had spent the greater part of two weeks scouring ice fields for meteorites when they made the astonishing discovery as they were about to conclude their search.
Valdes stated that they were initially hesitant to celebrate since they understood that if they had discovered a meteorite, this would be the mother lode. On the final day, the final hour.
The crew was certain it had found a rare space rock, according to Valdes, who told the newspaper that it was the size of a bowling ball but twice as hefty.
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Earth’s Development
The rock possessed a fusion crust, as described by Valdes, a glassy exterior layer that melted slightly upon entering the atmosphere. It was also worn down, indicating that it had been on Earth for a very long time.
Eleven days were spent by scientists from the United States, Belgium, and Switzerland searching the ice continent for space pebbles. For chemical investigation, the meteorite was delivered to the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences in Belgium.
Valdes stated that every meteorite has something to say about the evolution of Earth. When it comes to meteorites, size is not necessarily a factor, and even the tiniest micrometeorites can be highly scientifically valuable.
The majority of the 45,000 meteorites discovered in Antarctica during the past century weighed less than a few grams, according to The Independent.
NASA destroyed a 530-foot-wide asteroid in a test run to prepare for the potential of a big space rock hurtling toward and threatening Earth, such as the 6.2-mile-wide asteroid that scientists believe wiped out the dinosaurs millions of years ago.
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