Photo: Nazarii Neshcherenskyi / iStock / Getty Images
A meteorite fragment that crashed through a Georgia homeowner's roof on June 26 has been identified as being older than Earth itself. The fragment, which created a small crater in the floor, is believed to have originated from an asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. According to University of Georgia geologist Scott Harris, the meteorite is approximately 4.56 billion years old, predating Earth's formation by about 20 million years.
"These are objects that go back to the original material formed 4.56 billion years ago," Harris told Fox News. "So, in the days slightly before the formation of the planets themselves, and at least the rocky interior planets. And, you know, those are the basic building blocks then of our rocky planets and, so that's one of the reasons that scientists are interested in studying them is it shows us about some of the processes that were active during the early days of the solar system."
The meteorite, now named the McDonough Meteorite after the city where it landed, was seen as a bright fireball by people across several Southern states. It entered the atmosphere at a speed faster than sound, leaving a trail of destruction as it pierced through the roof, air duct, and ceiling of the home. Harris explained that the meteorite's age and origin provide valuable insights into the early days of the solar system, as it is composed of material from the formation of rocky planets.
The University of Georgia and Arizona State University are collaborating to submit their findings to the Nomenclature Committee of the Meteoritical Society. The McDonough Meteorite will be stored at UGA for further study, while additional fragments will be displayed at the Tellus Science Museum in Cartersville.
Harris emphasized the importance of studying such meteorites to understand the potential risks of larger asteroids impacting Earth in the future.