meteorite tagged posts

The high-pressure mineral Donwilhelmsite, recently discovered in the lunar meteorite Oued Awlitis 001 from Apollo missions, is important for understanding the inner structure of Earth. A team of European researchers discovered a new high-pressure mineral in the lunar meteorite Oued Awlitis 001, named donwilhelmsite [CaAl4Si2O11]...

Analysis of a Martian meteorite reveals evidence of water 4.4 billion years ago. Certain minerals from the Martian crust in the meteorite are oxidized, suggesting the presence of water during the impact that created the meteorite. The finding helps to fill some gaps in knowledge about the role of water in planet formation.

Several years ago, a pair of dark meteorites were discovered in the Sahara Desert. They were dubbed NWA 7034 and NWA 7533, where NWA stands for North West Africa and the number is the order in which meteorites are officially approved by the Meteoritical Society, an international planetary science organization...

The ancient stardust reveals a ‘baby boom’ in star formation. Scientists have discovered the oldest solid material on Earth: 7-billion-year-old stardust trapped inside a meteorite. This stardust provides evidence for a ‘baby boom’ of new stars that formed 7 billion years ago, contrary to thinking that star formation happens at a steady, constant rate.

Stars have life cycles. They’re born when bits of dust and gas floating through space find each other and collapse in on each other and heat up. They burn for millions to billions of years, and then they die...

Archaeon can crunch meteorite and feed on it. Chemolithotrophic microorganisms derive their energy from inorganic sources. Research into the physiological processes of these organisms – which are grown on meteorite – provides new insights into the potential of extraterrestrial materials as a source of accessible nutrients and energy for microorganisms of the early Earth. Meteorites may have delivered a variety of essential compounds facilitating the evolution of life, as we know it on Earth.

An international team around astrobiologist Tetyana Milojevic from the University of Vienna explored the physiology and metal-microbial interface of the extreme metallophilic archaeon Metallosphaera sedula...