A meteorite was found in the UK that fell on February 28. It belongs to the rarest carbonaceous chlorides, which contain the “building blocks of life”, according to the Natural History Museum of London.
As noted, this is the first meteorite found in the UK since 1991. Its remains weighing about 300 grams were found on the driveway to a house in Holstershire, England.
Residents of Vinchcomba heard a noise on the night of February 28, looked out the window, but saw nothing, they write in the museum. In the morning, they found black footprints and a meteorite remnant on the path in front of the house. They contacted meteor communities, who donated the meteorite to the museum.
It turned out that the meteorite belongs to the extremely rare carbonaceous chondrite, which consists of a mixture of minerals and organic compounds, including the building blocks of life itself – amino acids, write in the museum. The piece found also likely contains soft clay minerals, suggesting that it was once filled with frozen water ice.
“It’s really exciting. There are about 65,000 known meteorites around the world, and only 51 of them are carbonaceous chondrites,” says Sarah Russell, a researcher for this type of meteorite.
See also: New York Auction. Rare meteorites will be put up for auction, one 7.5 billion years old: photo
Russell notes that the find is especially important against the background of space missions to collect samples of the asteroids Hayabusa2 (4.5 g of stone delivered to Earth in December 2020) and OSIRIS-RE (should return more than 60 g in 2023).
“These meteorites are relics of the early solar system, which means they can tell us what the planets are made of. We also think that such meteorites may have brought water to Earth, providing the planet with its oceans … I was a graduate student when the last meteorite in Britain fell. I’ve always dreamed of carbon chondrite, but never expected it. It’s a dream come true, “added Sarah Russell.
On February 28, a meteorite fell in the UK. It formed a bright fireball as it fell.
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
