A meteorite crashed into a home in Georgia, marking the object as one of the oldest known to have fallen from space. Researchers at the University of Georgia analyzed fragments of the rock and found it dated back approximately 4.56 billion years, making it roughly 20 million years older than Earth.
The meteor, named the McDonough meteorite, entered the atmosphere in broad daylight before exploding over the state. Residents reported seeing a fireball and hearing a loud booming noise as it tore through the skies. The rock traveled at least 1 km per second before striking a man’s roof in Henry County.
“This particular meteor that entered the atmosphere has a long history before it made it to the ground of McDonough,” said Scott Harris, a geologist at the University of Georgia. “Modern technology and an attentive public are helping us recover more and more meteorites.”
Harris hopes to publish his findings on the composition and speed of the asteroid, which will help scientists better understand the threat of further asteroids. He expressed concern that a large object could hit Earth in the future, causing catastrophic damage.
The McDonough meteorite is the 27th known meteorite to have been recovered from Georgia, with this incident marking an increase in meteor sightings over the past two decades.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwy003l0pw0o