Meteorites are solid extraterrestrial materials that survive passage through a planetary atmosphere and reach the surface, providing direct samples of Solar System bodies for scientific investigation. As a research topic, they are categorized into stony, iron, and stony-iron types, with further subdivision into chondrites and achondrites based on texture and degree of differentiation. Meteorites preserve information on early Solar System processes, including nebular condensation, accretion, thermal metamorphism, and core–mantle differentiation. Their isotopic, mineralogical, and chemical compositions constrain models of planetesimal formation, planetary evolution, chronology via radiometric dating, and the distribution of volatiles and organic compounds in the protoplanetary disk.
For sale: A 54-pound (25-kilogram) rock. Estimated auction price: $2 million to $4 million. Why so expensive? It's the largest piece of Mars ever found on Earth.
Space Exploration
Jul 13, 2025
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A 2.35-billion-year-old meteorite with a unique chemical signature, found in Africa in 2023, plugs a major gap in our understanding of the moon's volcanic history.
Planetary Sciences
Jul 8, 2025
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151
It only took Ed Albin a few steps on Sunday to spot it as he wandered onto an empty construction site in Henry County, about 45 minutes southeast of Atlanta.
Planetary Sciences
Jun 30, 2025
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Most meteorites that have reached Earth come from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. But we have 1,000 or so meteorites that come from the moon and Mars. This is probably a result of asteroids hitting their surfaces ...
Planetary Sciences
Jun 25, 2025
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Evidence is mounting that a secret lies beneath the dusty red plains of Mars, one that could redefine our view of the red planet: a vast reservoir of liquid water, locked deep in the crust.
Astrobiology
May 12, 2025
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215
We've discovered that a meteorite struck northwest Scotland 1 billion years ago, 200 million years later than previously thought. Our results are published today in the journal Geology.
Earth Sciences
Apr 29, 2025
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Carbon-containing meteorites look like they had less severe impacts than those without carbon because the evidence was blasted into space by gases produced during the impact. The Kobe University discovery not only solves ...
Planetary Sciences
Apr 24, 2025
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A bright object, initially appearing to be a meteorite, lit up the skies over Mexico's capital around 3 a.m. Wednesday, stretching over plains, volcanoes and small towns.
Space Exploration
Apr 17, 2025
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80
Much of what scientists know about the early solar system comes from meteorites—ancient rocks that travel through space and survive a fiery plunge through Earth's atmosphere. Among meteorites, one type—called carbonaceous ...
Planetary Sciences
Apr 15, 2025
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38
An international team of researchers may have answered one of space science's long-running questions—and it could change our understanding of how life began. Carbon-rich asteroids are abundant in space yet make up less than ...
Astrobiology
Apr 14, 2025
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81
