A meteorite that crashed through a Georgia resident’s home in June is 20 million years older than Earth, according to researchers at the University of Georgia. The McDonough meteorite, which entered the atmosphere as a fireball on June 26, struck a house in the city of McDonough and caused significant damage.
Researchers analyzed material recovered from the impact site and found that the meteorite formed around 4.56 billion years ago, making it about 20 million years older than Earth. The meteorite is believed to have come from beyond Mars and is linked to a larger asteroid that broke up around half a billion years ago.
According to Scott Harris, a researcher in the geology department at UGA, the meteorite made its way through the atmosphere at an estimated speed of 29,000 mph (47,000 km/h), causing damage on impact. The piece of rock went straight through the roof, ceiling, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) duct before leaving a dent in the living room floor.
Harris used optical and electron microscopy to analyze 0.8 ounces (23 grams) of rock fragments recovered from the house and concluded that the meteorite is a stony meteorite (chondrite) with low metal content. The discovery is significant, as it marks only the sixth witnessed meteorite in Georgia’s history.
This incident highlights the importance of modern technology and an attentive public in recovering more and more meteorites. Harris noted that previously, such events were expected to occur once every few decades, but not multiple times within 20 years.
Source: https://www.livescience.com/space/meteoroids/meteorite-that-crash-landed-through-georgia-mans-roof-is-20-million-years-older-than-earth-scientists-say